This year, the level of independent technology for key equipment in China’s offshore wind power has been continuously improving, driving the development of offshore wind power from near-shore to far-deep sea areas.

Recently, the world’s largest offshore converter station, “Sea Wind Heart,” has completed its offshore installation.

The installed offshore converter station can collect alternating current from 163 wind turbines in the surrounding sea area, convert it into high-voltage direct current for transmission, significantly reducing transmission losses. This marks China’s breakthrough in solving the challenge of high-power transmission in deep-sea areas. After commissioning, it can deliver approximately 6 billion kilowatt-hours of green electricity annually.

As near-shore resource development gradually matures, deep-sea areas are becoming the main battlefield for China’s offshore wind power development.

This year, a series of technologies, from core equipment to installation capabilities, are accelerating breakthroughs in deep-sea areas. The recently installed global largest single-unit capacity floating offshore wind platform has, for the first time, applied domestically produced special polyester fiber mooring cables, each capable of withstanding about 1,300 tons of tension. To date, China has completed the float-over installation of more than 50 large offshore platforms, with a total weight exceeding 700,000 tons, achieving all-weather, full-sequence, and full-sea-area float-over technology.

Next, China will continue to promote innovative development across the industrial chain, including large-capacity wind turbines, ultra-long blades, and dynamic submarine cables, laying a solid foundation for offshore wind power grid-connected installed capacity to exceed 100 million kilowatts during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period.

Sea Wind Heart

“Sea Wind Heart” is a poetic name often associated with coastal locations or artworks that evoke the feeling of the ocean’s breeze and the emotional core of a place. While not a specific historical site, it may refer to a scenic viewpoint, sculpture, or cultural installation found along a shoreline, such as in Japan or other maritime regions, where it symbolizes the connection between nature and human emotion. Its history, if tied to a particular landmark, likely stems from local folklore or modern artistic efforts to celebrate the sea’s enduring influence on the community.

offshore converter station

An offshore converter station is a critical component of offshore wind farms, serving as an intermediate hub that converts the alternating current (AC) electricity generated by wind turbines into direct current (DC) for efficient transmission to shore via submarine cables. Developed alongside the expansion of offshore renewable energy in the early 21st century, these stations are typically large, platform-based structures that also manage voltage control and grid stability. Their history is closely tied to the rise of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology, which enables long-distance, low-loss power transmission from remote sea-based energy sources.

floating offshore wind platform

A floating offshore wind platform is a type of wind turbine foundation that is anchored to the seabed with mooring lines, allowing it to be deployed in deep waters where traditional fixed-bottom turbines are not feasible. This technology emerged in the early 2000s, with the first full-scale prototype, Hywind, installed off the coast of Norway in 2009. Floating platforms enable access to stronger and more consistent winds far from shore, playing a key role in expanding offshore renewable energy capacity.