Is China sending a message with first offshore wind farm?

At a time when pollution is increasing at an alarming rate and killing the world, China has stepped forward and urged the world to follow her lead. Big ambitions have been set by China to help rid the world of the evil that is pollution.

Renewable sources of energy or clean energy is China's main focus now. It seems like they will stop at nothing to win the battle and the first China offshore wind farm is just the latest step in their long struggle. As expensive as it may be, China has chosen to maximize whatever potential that can be harnessed rather than go cheap but environmentally unfriendly.

A group led by China Datang, one of the nation's five-largest state power generators, won a bid to build the nation's first offshore wind farm in the sea near Shanghai. The group received notice from the Shanghai government, beating 11 rival bidders for the 100-megawatt project.

China, the world's second-biggest energy user, plans to spend 1.5 trillion yuan ($192 billion) by 2020 to boost the use of solar, wind, water and biomass energy to cut reliance on coal and oil. Economic growth has boosted electricity demand, increasing oil import costs and worsening pollution from coal-fired power stations.

The eastern coastal region around Shanghai has the potential for 750,000 megawatts of offshore wind power capacity. A leading position in the offshore wind power sector will be "crucial" for power companies to realize their wind power targets, the statement said.

Offshore wind power units, which can cost as much as three times onshore turbines, are technically more complex and operate at higher utilization rates of 3,000 to 4,000 hours a year.

No matter the cost, China will not back down. The question that remains is that will the rest of the world join in the struggle and ease some of the burden off China? The signs are promising but will the other nation's resolve be as high as China's? What do you think?