According to the Global Wind Energy Council, the wind industry has been expanding at an annual growth rate of 28% over the past ten years. Global cumulative installed capacity has reached 74GW and the level of annual investment about €18 billion. In 2006, wind power investment in China was RMB 16.27 billion yuan, accounting for 9% of the global total. If its growth rate is maintained, China could become the largest wind market in the world.

According to a report compiled by the Chinese Renewable Energy Industry Association and published by China Environmental Science Press, Beijing, 2007, the technically exploitable resource in China is 1,000GW, distributed across the southeast coastal areas, adjacent islands, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, the Gansu Hexi Corridor, Huabei and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. China has chosen wind power as an important alternative source in order to rebalance its energy mix, combat global warming and ensure energy security. Supportive measures have been introduced by the government. In order to encourage technical innovation, market expansion and commercialization, development targets have been established for 2010 and 2020, concession projects offered and policies introduced to encourage domestic production.

The introduction of the Renewable Energy Law and its accompanying implementation regulations provided solid legal guarantees and clear policy direction for the development of a wind industry in China. Although foreign manufacturers still take the major share of the market, there has been a positive trend towards domestic manufacture. Currently there are more than 40 manufacturers supplying the Chinese market, including domestic owners, joint ventures and foreign companies.