China Installs World’s Largest Floating Offshore Wind Turbine
China has installed the world’s largest single-unit floating offshore wind turbine, marking another major step forward for deep-water wind energy development.
The 16-megawatt “Three Gorges Pilot” turbine has been deployed off the coast of Yangjiang in Guangdong province by the China Three Gorges Corporation.
The turbine features a rotor diameter of 252 metres—with a swept area roughly equal to seven football fields—and is expected to generate around 44.65 million kWh of electricity annually, enough to power approximately 24,000 homes.
Unlike traditional offshore wind turbines fixed to the seabed, floating systems can operate in much deeper waters, opening access to stronger and more consistent wind resources further offshore.
That is significant because much of the world’s offshore wind potential lies in waters too deep for conventional fixed-bottom foundations. Floating wind is increasingly viewed as a key technology for expanding offshore renewable energy in countries with deeper coastlines.
The Three Gorges Pilot was also designed for extreme conditions. The floating platform and mooring system are built to withstand super typhoons and waves exceeding 20 metres, highlighting efforts to make floating wind viable in harsher marine environments.
As turbine sizes continue to grow, floating wind could help unlock large-scale renewable electricity generation far beyond shallow coastal areas. The technology could also expand offshore wind development into new regions while reducing pressure on land and nearshore infrastructure.