China's Wind Power II

Chinese enterprises have mastered advanced off-grid wind turbine generator technology through technology transfer from foreign companies. There are two kinds of utilization which must be discussed in any review of wind power developments: off-grid and in-grid. Off-grid utilization is used primarily as an independent power operation system, often in remote regions. The power generation capacity of a single off-grid generator ranges from 100 watts to 10 kilowatts. In-grid power is integrated within conventional power grids, providing the most economical utilization of wind power. The maximum power generation of a single in-grid wind turbine in 2006 is five megawatts. China’s abundant inland and offshore wind energy resources provide potential for large-capacity, in-grid wind farms. By the end of 2005, China had built 59 wind farms with 1,854 wind turbine generators and a 1,266 megawatt in-grid wind power installed capacity, ranking it number ten globally.

Today, wind power in China is developing rapidly and receives particularly strong government support. The new Renewable Energy Law and its detailed incentive policies reflect the Chinese government s intention to build up this industry. By 2020, China plans to have 30 gigawatts of wind power. European companies dominate China’s wind power equipment market. Among U.S. companies, only GE Wind Power is active in China. In 2005, GE Wind Power occupied 3% of the in-grid wind turbine market in China.

According to the China Academy of Meteorological Sciences, the country possesses a total 235 gigawatts of practical onshore wind power potential that can be utilized at 10 meters above the ground. Annual potential production from wind power could reach 632.5 gigawatts if the annual, full-load operation reaches 2,000-2,500 hours. A detailed survey is needed, however, for economically utilizable wind power resources. The potential for offshore wind power is even greater, estimated at 750 gigawatts. Offshore wind speed is higher and more stable than onshore wind, and offshore wind farm sites are closer to the major electricity load centers in eastern China. Areas rich in wind power resources are mainly concentrated in two areas: northern China’s grasslands and Gobi desert, stretching from Inner Mongolia, Gansu, and Xinjiang provinces; and in the east coast from Shangdong and Liaoning and the Southeast Coast in Fujian and Guangdong provinces.

In 1986, China built its first wind farm in Rongcheng, Shandong Province. From 1996 to 1999, in-grid wind power developed very quickly, entering a localization stage. By the end of 2004, there were 43 wind farms with 1291 wind turbines in China, with 764 megawatts of installed capacity. Liaoning, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Guangdong experienced the fastest wind power development, representing 60% of the installed power generating capacity of national wind power. Currently, Xinjiangs Dabancheng is the largest wind farm in China, with 100 megawatts of installed power generating capacity. Most generators range from 500 kilowatts to 1 megawatt, accounting for 84% of China's wind turbine generators.

For more information, please contact the author Gordon Feller at gordonf20@comcast.net