China’s Installed Ocean Energy Capacity Reaches 12.3 MW

China’s cumulative installed ocean energy capacity has reached 12.3 megawatts (MW), according to the China Ocean Energy Development and Utilization Report 2026, jointly released by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the National Energy Administration on October 22, 2026.

The report states that ocean energy demonstration applications have steadily expanded since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Capacity additions exceeded 3.3 MW, accounting for more than 30% of global additions over the same reporting period.

The figures point to two distinct developments: an expanding domestic base of demonstration installations and a substantial contribution to new capacity worldwide. The global comparison concerns capacity additions; it does not mean China holds more than 30% of the world’s total installed ocean energy capacity.

For the industry, a larger demonstration base could provide more opportunities to assess equipment performance and operating requirements. Its value for further deployment will depend on how effectively operating experience informs subsequent projects.

Installed capacity measures the scale of deployment, but does not by itself establish electricity output, operating reliability or commercial viability. Those performance measures will be important in assessing whether the reported expansion can support broader adoption of ocean energy.