When considering the world's windiest locations, places like Bermuda and the Cape of Good Hope might come to mind. However, Pingtan, an island off the coast of East China's Fujian province, is an emerging powerhouse in wind energy that remains relatively unknown to many.

Pingtan experiences over 300 days a year with wind speeds exceeding Force 6 on the Beaufort wind scale and more than 200 days with winds stronger than Force 7, classified as strong breeze to near gale, highlighting the persistently high and energy-rich winds in the area.

According to Lin Gaoxiang, a staff member from the development and reform division of Pingtan's bureau of economy and development, "Pingtan is located at a protruding section between the Taiwan Strait and the Haitan Strait, creating a prominent funneling effect that accelerates wind flow. This geographic feature makes it one of the most wind-rich areas in China."

Lin also noted that the average wind speed on the island reaches 8.4 meters per second, with turbines operating effectively for over 158 days a year. This figure places Pingtan among the top-performing wind sites globally. Days with average wind speeds over 8 m/s are considered prime conditions for maximizing electricity generation through wind systems.

According to Lin, Pingtan's wind power sector has made steady progress over the past two decades. The development of wind power in Pingtan began at a relatively early stage in 1978 with China's first 55-kilowatt turbine.

Pingtan initially developed land-based wind farms in the 2000s, followed by offshore projects in the 2010s. Today, the island is exploring deep-sea wind energy, with eight wind power plants generating a combined capacity of 788,300 kilowatts, producing 2.6 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.

One of the turbines at Pingtan's offshore wind farm set a global record by generating 387,200 kilowatt-hours in a single day.

In a major milestone, the Pingtan Shared Energy Storage Power Station was fully connected to the grid on Jan 11, marking the official inauguration of Fujian's first large-scale centralized energy storage facility. This project represents a significant advancement in supporting offshore wind power and expanding the use of clean energy in the region.

"What we're building here is not just for Pingtan," said Lin. "This is part of China's contribution to solving the global energy challenge."

Pingtan contribution to China's wind power development dates back to the 1980s when it established a wind power experimental group and began research on 55-kilowatt turbines. It became one of the earliest regions in the country to establish a wind power experimental institution. In 1991, wind turbines at the Pingtan Lianhua Mountain Wind Farm were successfully debugged and connected to the grid, with a domestic production rate nearing 100 percent. 

Pingtan's wind power development reflects China's broader rise in green energy. In 2024, newly connected offshore wind power capacity in China reached 4.04 million kilowatts, bringing the total connected capacity to 41.27 million kilowatts, maintaining China's top position globally for four consecutive years.

Tourism growth

In addition to powering energy generation, Pingtan's wind resources have spurred unexpected growth in tourism.

"Honestly, we never expected the turbines to become tourist attractions," Lin said. "But more and more people are coming to see them up close — they're fascinated by the scale and elegance of wind energy." The Changjiang'ao Wind Farm in northern Pingtan not only generates clean energy but also serves as a stunning landscape for photography enthusiasts. 

As an international tourist island, wind turbines are now both an industry and a distinctive feature of the local landscape, he said.

Pingtan has leveraged its wind resources to develop a variety of tourism projects, attracting maritime sports enthusiasts and hosting events such as kiteboarding festivals, sailing regattas and kite competitions.

"In the future, we may see more diversified business models emerge from this clean energy base, such as kiteboarding and paragliding," Lin added. 

Li Leyao and Yang Ning contributed to this story.