Asia-Pacific wind energy set to emerge as key sector with 42% growth by 2025

The wind energy sector in Asia-Pacific could make up around 25 percent of the power capacity mix in the region by the end of this decade, a new report by Wood Mackenzie said on Monday.

According to the report, China is expected to add 93 gigawatts (GW) worth of new offshore wind power capacity between 2021 and 2030, making it the world’s largest offshore wind power market by the end of the decade.

The capacity build up would also bolster China’s efforts to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060, with non-fossil energy consumption exceeding 80 percent of its total mix at the same time.

Overall, the report said that Asia’s share in the global offshore wind market is expected to grow to 42 per cent in 2025. However, China’s market share in the region is expected to drop from 2025, when more utility-scale offshore wind projects get connected in emerging markets such as Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.

The Wood Mackenzie report said that the top markets in the region in new installations over the next decade, apart from China, will include South Korea (7.9GW), Japan (7.4GW) and Vietnam (5.2GW).

“Wind energy, both onshore and offshore, has the lowest life cycle emissions of any mainstream energy technology, which is why its role has been recognised by different global institutions to reflect the global net-zero consensus,” Qiao Liming, head of Asia at Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), said during a webinar last week.