As world leaders prepare for COP30, a vast wind farm in Laos offers a glimpse into how China has come to dominate global renewable energy.
The Monsoon Wind Power Project in Dak Cheung, built by a Chinese state-owned firm and powered by Chinese technology, stands as Southeast Asia’s largest wind power facility. With 133 turbines and a cable link carrying energy 70 km to Vietnam, it will supply electricity to around one million homes each year.
While led by a Thai consortium, the project’s success was made possible by China’s combination of low-cost financing, rapid construction, and advanced green tech. “It makes the project viable,” said general manager Narut Boakajorn, who praised the partnership for achieving what many thought impossible.
China now produces over 60% of the world’s green tech equipment, including 80% of solar panels and 75% of electric vehicles, according to the International Energy Agency. Its 2024 clean energy exports are expected to reduce global carbon emissions by 1%.
But the expansion comes with geopolitical undertones. Many developing nations, including Laos, have seen Chinese-backed infrastructure deepen financial dependence — Laos recently ceded control of most of its power grid to a Chinese firm amid debt pressures.
For now, however, China’s green energy footprint continues to expand — reshaping global markets, rewriting alliances, and defining what a renewable superpower looks like.
