China years behind on ambitious wind farm plan

China has achieved less than 10% of a goal set in 2011 to develop 5,000 megawatts of offshore wind turbines in four years, Bloomberg reported. The plan would have made it the world’s biggest market for offshore wind, but China has moved cautiously because the technology is “risky and costly,” according to Shi Pengfei, honorary chairman of the Chinese Wind Energy Association. There was 429 megawatts of offshore wind power in China in 2013, and the country may install 500 megawatts of next year. Analysts say China mirrors the industry as a whole, as progress in wind energy has fallen behind projections.