China Initially Builds National Marine Energy Database, Boosting Clean Energy Supply
Beijing – China has initially established a national marine energy resource database, completing refined surveys of marine energy-rich areas along the coasts of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces, the Ministry of Natural Resources announced recently. The exploitable capacity of tidal current energy and wave energy in the two provinces exceeds 70 million kilowatts, which can meet the annual electricity demand of about 40 million households in China, according to People’s Daily reports.
Marine energy, an important renewable energy source, includes tidal energy (including tidal range energy and tidal current energy), wave energy, temperature difference energy and salinity gradient energy. As China accelerates its shift towards a green energy structure, the large-scale and industrialized development of marine energy has become a key focus.
Wu He, a researcher at the National Marine Technology Center, stated that accelerating the large-scale and industrialized development of marine energy and promoting its coordinated integration with offshore wind power, offshore photovoltaic power and offshore hydrogen production would help improve the overall operational efficiency and safety resilience of the marine energy system, enhance clean energy supply capacity, and promote the formation of a new multi-energy complementary and efficient marine energy system.
He added that China’s marine development pattern is accelerating its expansion from nearshore to deep sea, making the demand for green and sustainable energy supply in marine production and life more urgent. "Accelerating the large-scale utilization of marine energy is of great strategic significance for improving the comprehensive support capacity of the deep sea, reducing development costs and enhancing the independent guarantee level of marine energy," he noted.
Progress in marine energy technology has been remarkable in China. At present, China’s first megawatt-class tidal current energy generating unit "Fenjinhao" (Endeavor) has been in operation for nearly four years, and the first phase of a 100-megawatt demonstration project has started construction. The world’s first megawatt-class wave energy generating device "Nankunhao" (South Kunlun) has met expectations in key indicators such as daily power generation, and China’s first semi-submersible wave energy aquaculture platform "Penghuhao" (Penghu) is operating stably.
In February 2025, six ministries including the Ministry of Natural Resources and the National Development and Reform Commission issued the Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Large-Scale Utilization of Marine Energy, aiming to achieve an installed marine energy capacity of 400,000 kilowatts by 2030, build a number of island multi-energy complementary power systems and large-scale marine energy demonstration projects.
The International Energy Agency’s Marine Energy Systems Technology Collaboration Programme predicts that by 2050, the global installed marine energy capacity will reach 300,000 megawatts, with an annual output value of 340 billion US dollars and annual carbon dioxide emissions reduction of more than 500 million tons. Major economies such as the EU, the UK and the US are also competing to lay out marine energy, promoting demonstration projects through price mechanisms and special support.
A relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Natural Resources said that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, China will continue to upgrade marine energy technology and expand its industry scale, focusing on four key aspects: expanding resource surveys to the deep sea, breaking through core technologies, advancing demonstration projects and strengthening international exchanges and cooperation. With solid progress in technology and policy support, China is steadily advancing the high-quality development of marine energy, contributing to global clean energy transition.
