China Now Controls 80% of Wind Turbines and 70% of Batteries – Here’s Why That Matters

China now produces over 70 percent of the world’s lithium-ion batteries and controls nearly 80 percent of the global wind turbine market, according to recent industry data [199961][199547]. This dominance covers the entire supply chain, from mining raw materials like lithium and cobalt to refining them and manufacturing battery cells [199961]. Chinese companies also supply key components for both onshore and offshore wind projects, including blades, towers, and generators [199547].

This combination of manufacturing power is critical because renewable energy from solar and wind must be stored to be reliable. Without batteries, solar and wind power cannot provide electricity when the sun does not shine or the wind does not blow [199961]. Chinese-made batteries store excess energy from solar panels and wind turbines and release it when demand is high or weather conditions are poor [199961].

The scale of Chinese production has lowered costs for solar and wind projects worldwide, making clean energy more affordable [199961]. However, experts warn that this concentration creates risks. If China restricts exports or raises prices, other nations could face energy shortages [199961].

Meanwhile, new battery technologies are emerging. Sodium-ion batteries, which use cheap and abundant salt instead of expensive lithium, have achieved a breakthrough. Scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences spent ten years making sodium-ion batteries commercially viable [195878]. These new batteries can store almost as much energy as lithium ones, charge faster, and are less likely to catch fire [196464]. Companies in China and the US are already building factories to produce them [196464].