The advance of Chinese manufacturers in the global ranking of wind turbines raises a key question for the industry: can China repeat in wind power the technological and industrial dominance it already achieved in photovoltaics?
The concern stems from a striking fact: eight of the top ten wind turbine manufacturers in 2025 were Chinese. Furthermore, for the first time, the world's five largest manufacturers by installed capacity were also Chinese companies.
However, Ben Backwell, CEO of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), offers a more nuanced interpretation. Yesterday, during the Energía Estratégica livestream, in conversation with Gastón Fenés , the global leader in the sector warned that wind power has a different industrial dynamic than solar power.
“I think it’s going to be different,” Backwell said when asked if wind power could follow the same path of concentration as photovoltaics.
The data that marks China's advance
The GWEC report shows that Goldwind led the global ranking of manufacturers in 2025 with 29.7 GW installed. Envision, Windey, Mingyang, and SANY followed, making it an all-Chinese top five.
The figure confirms the speed with which China has climbed the ranks in the wind energy industry. But it also requires clarification: a large part of those sales is explained by the domestic market itself.
Over 90% of Chinese manufacturers' facilities are concentrated within China. This means that global leadership in volume does not necessarily translate into equivalent dominance in international markets.
That point is central for Backwell. The CEO of GWEC explained that the Chinese industry is experiencing such a strong domestic boom that a large part of its production chain remains focused on meeting local demand.
“Solar panels are practically a commodity.”
To explain the difference with photovoltaics, Backwell pointed to the nature of the product.
“The solar industry has a very particular characteristic: the solar panel or module is practically a commodity. It can be produced on a large scale in a single location, even in megafactories, and exported worldwide,” he noted.
Wind power, on the other hand, operates under a different logic. A turbine is not a simple, standardized product that can be easily transported from one continent to another. It is an assembly of large components, with logistical requirements, adaptation to the resource, grid conditions, operating services, and local regulation.
Therefore, although China is dominant in volume, the wind industry retains a more regionalized structure than the solar industry.
Backwell emphasized that wind power has a “natural location factor.” The blades, for example, are enormous and difficult to transport over long distances. In many cases, producing closer to the target market is not only convenient but necessary to improve costs, lead times, and competitiveness.
“There are parts that make more economic sense if they are manufactured locally. Blades, for example, are enormous and we usually try to produce them as close as possible to the projects for logistical reasons,” he explained.
This factor helped the wind energy industry develop several industrial hubs: China, Europe, India, and Brazil, among others. Unlike photovoltaics, where manufacturing concentration advanced strongly in Asia, wind energy maintains a more distributed value chain.
China dominates in volume, but not in all markets
China's scale is undeniable. Backwell recalled that, in Beijing, the industry had signed the Beijing 2.0 agreement with the goal of reaching 120 GW annually.
GWEC estimated that the production chain would take two or three years to reach that level. But, according to Backwell, China already reached it in 2025 and could surpass that mark in 2026.
This growth explains why many Chinese companies have not yet expanded internationally as aggressively as they have in the solar sector. First, because they have a huge domestic market to supply. Second, because not all countries offer the same level of openness.
Central Asia, Saudi Arabia, some African markets, and Brazil appear to be the most receptive destinations. Europe and the United States, on the other hand, present greater political, regulatory, and industrial barriers.
United States: Zero Chinese turbines
One of the most striking examples of this new scenario is the case of the United States. Backwell was blunt: “In the United States, there is literally nothing.”
The US market did not incorporate any Chinese turbines during the past year. Furthermore, trade flows are beginning to shift. Some companies that previously exported components from China are now producing in India to supply the United States.
Geopolitics, security of supply, and industrial policy are playing an increasingly important role. Wind energy is no longer analyzed solely in terms of equipment price, but also in terms of employment, local content, technology, grid integration, and control of value chains.
Europe protects its industrial base
In Europe, the situation is also different from that of solar power. Backwell indicated that the installed turbines are still mostly from European companies.
Chinese manufacturers have tried to enter that market, but so far have not made significant progress. According to the CEO of GWEC, this is because European governments are increasingly scrutinizing the competitive position of their industries, investment, employment, and industrial policy.
In some countries, price will be the main criterion. In others, the decision will include strategic factors. “We’re going to have a mixed picture,” Backwell summarized.
Western companies remain strong outside of China
Although the global ranking shows Chinese progress, outside of China Western companies maintain a relevant position.
Vestas , Nordex , GE Vernova , and Siemens Gamesa continue to play a central role in numerous markets. Vestas, in particular, remains one of the most geographically diversified manufacturers.
For Backwell, this diversification matters because turbine sales are not limited to the initial cost of the machine. It also involves the ability to execute projects in complex markets, understand regulations, integrate technologies, operate with demanding electrical grids, and offer long-term warranties.
“It’s not just about the price of the machine,” he explained. “It’s also about the ability to handle complex markets, integrate technologies, work with networks, and adapt to local politics and regulations.”
The new focus: integration, not just manufacturing
Wind power is entering a stage where manufacturers are no longer competing solely to deliver the cheapest wind turbine. They must also integrate it into more complex electrical systems.
Hybridization with solar, storage, curtailment management, long-term contracts, and the need to deliver energy during higher-value hours are starting to weigh more heavily on the business.
This transition may favor companies with global experience and the technical capacity to operate in regulatoryly complex markets. But it also opens up space for new players that can combine price, efficient manufacturing, and localization.
China begins producing outside of China
Backwell also identified a key trend: Chinese companies will not only export turbines or components, but will begin to install more production capacity outside of China.
“Faced with location barriers, Chinese companies are starting to set up factories outside of China,” he noted.
Goldwind already has a presence in Camaçari, Bahia, Brazil. There is also activity in Central Asia, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Türkiye, particularly in components such as blades.
The question, then, is not just how many Chinese turbines will be sold in the world, but where they will be manufactured, under what rules, and with what degree of local content.
Brazil, a possible regional laboratory
Brazil appears as one of the most relevant markets to observe in this new stage.
Although it is currently experiencing a period of less dynamism compared to its historical potential, it remains a country with scale, resources, industrial experience, ports, present manufacturers and a history of local content.
For Backwell, Brazil could become a model where Western, Chinese and local manufacturers coexist under a policy of industrial nationalization.
The parallel with the automotive industry is unavoidable. In the 1950s and 60s, countries like Brazil demanded local production, and major automakers ended up setting up operations there. According to Backwell, the world today is moving in that direction once again.
“Today’s world is not the open world of the 1990s,” he warned.
India gains prominence
The other major player on the board is India. Backwell considers it one of the future powers of the wind energy industry.
The country combines economic growth, expanding electricity demand, engineering capabilities, a growing population, and an urgent need to replace coal with renewables.
“India is going to be one of the great powers of the future,” he predicted.
Furthermore, it's not starting from scratch. It has local manufacturers like Suzlon, component suppliers, Western companies producing for the domestic market and for export, and Chinese companies like Envision with an industrial presence.
Made in India and common rules
One of the points that Backwell emphasized most is that India built its market under a logic of local manufacturing.
From the outset, the country promoted the concept of “Made in India.” This forces companies to compete within a framework where production location is part of the business.
For Backwell, that model can be a reference for other markets, including Brazil: international manufacturers, local companies and national policies competing under common rules.
Hybrids and round-the-clock power
India is also pushing a market design that may favor wind power.
Round-the-clock power auctions require the delivery of more reliable and stable energy blocks. This drives hybrid projects that combine wind, solar, and batteries based on available resources, demand, and grid connection.
In this context, wind power is regaining value. It not only competes with solar on price, but also offers complementary power generation times, a higher capacity factor, and generation at times when the system needs more energy.
India installed 6.3 GW of wind power last year, a record for the country. According to Backwell, it could reach between 10 and 12 GW annually, which would place it among the major global markets.
The question is no longer just who leads the ranking
China's advance in wind power is real and has already changed the global landscape of manufacturers. But, according to Backwell's analysis, the industry will not necessarily follow the same path as solar photovoltaics.
The difference lies in the very logic of the business. The turbine requires logistics, industrial proximity, services, market adaptation, technological integration, and regulatory awareness.
Therefore, the upcoming battle will be broader than a price race. It will encompass factories, local content, geopolitics, market access, supply chains, industrial alliances, and the ability to deliver integrated solutions.
China already leads in volume. But the global wind energy market is still defined market by market.