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Beyond energy transition: Quantifying the multidimensional impacts of offshore wind power expansion in China

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  • Ren, Zhongrui
  • Zhang, Sufang
  • Yuan, Yuan
  • Pu, Lei
  • Nie, Qingyun
  • Huang, Ren

Abstract

While China's offshore wind expansion is widely recognized as a pillar of energy transition, its systemic ripple effects across socioeconomic and ecological domains remain underexplored. This study pioneers a “techno-industrial-societal” analytical framework, integrating experience curve modeling, power system optimization, and multi-regional input-output analysis to quantify the multidimensional impacts of China's offshore wind power expansion. Economically, offshore wind is projected to save the power sector 15.9 billion CNY annually by 2050, while stimulating upstream and downstream industries to generate 8.7 billion CNY in added value. Environmentally, displacing coal-fired power achieves a substantial 347 Mt CO2/year reduction dwarfing the 0.67 Mt indirect emissions from the industrial expansion. Socially, the creation of 269,300 direct and 43,400 indirect jobs fully offsets coal industry losses, while shifting the workforce structure toward technology-intensive sectors. Notably, offshore wind's growth benefits emerging industries but challenges traditional coal-linked sectors, necessitating coordinated industrial and regional policies to ensure just transitions.

Suggested Citation

  • Ren, Zhongrui & Zhang, Sufang & Yuan, Yuan & Pu, Lei & Nie, Qingyun & Huang, Ren, 2026. "Beyond energy transition: Quantifying the multidimensional impacts of offshore wind power expansion in China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:259:y:2026:i:c:s0960148125028198
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2025.125155
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