Haozhe Bai, Kun Xu, Zhen Gao
A systematic review that summarizing the state-of-the-art development and identifying future challenges of FWT technologies from a holistic system-level and full-industry- chain perspective is important for both Chinese market and global stakeholders. This paper reviews the development trajectory and future challenges of FWT technologies in China, contrasting them with international advancements. While Europe pioneered FWT industrialization through projects like Hywind and WindFloat, China has rapidly progressed in prototype development, deploying five representative FWTs—Yin Ling, Fu Yao, Guan Lan, Gong Xiang, and OceanX—to address unique challenges in shallow continental shelf waters. Key technical hurdles—such as stringent draft limitations, nonlinear mooring dynamics in shallow waters, and the need for typhoon resilience—significantly increase the overall cost of FWT projects. Future priorities involve scaling turbines to 20–25 MW for cost reduction, optimizing lightweight, and developing economical taut mooring systems. Advanced coupled analysis tools, hybrid experimental methods, and farm level layout optimization are critical to address multi- body dynamics and wake effects. Integration with aquaculture, wave energy, and hydrogen production offers synergistic opportunities. Monitoring and maintenance are also critical for FWT lifecycle reliability and cost-effectiveness. Despite China’s leadership in pre-commercial FWT projects, commercialization demands interdisciplinary collaboration, standardized design codes, and lifecycle cost reduction strategies. This study underscores the necessity of government-industry-academia partnerships to accelerate FWT industrialization and align with global Net Zero goals.