China is expected to overtake Germany and the United States to
become the world's largest wind power producer by 2020, a report
has forecast.
The 2006 Annual Report on China's New Energy Industry says that
the 10th Five-Year Plan (2000-2005) period saw a rapid development
of the wind power industry with installed capacity rising by 30
percent annually on average.
In 2000 the power generated was 350,000 kw with that figure
rising sharply to 1.26 million kw in 2005. This placed China in
seventh position in the world in wind power generation.
The report quotes a prediction by the Global Wind Energy Council
that China’s total wind power installed capacity could reach 150
million kw in 2020. This would make the country one of the world's
major wind power producers.
As a country with a long coastline and sufficient winds China
boasts wind power resources of 3.2 billion kw of which one billion
kw could be developed, according to the report.
China has set up more than sixty wind power farms around the
country, developed key technologies and trained personnel
specialized in designing and operating these farms. The country is
well prepared for large-scale development of the industry, the
report indicates. ?
According to China's national development plan the total
installed capacity of wind power will reach five million kw by 2010
and 30 million kw by 2020.
During the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2006-2010) around
30 large wind power projects of 100 MW will be constructed in
regions with abundant wind resources such as eastern coastal areas,
Hebei Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in north
China.
In terms of small wind power projects China has already
developed the largest market in the world. By the end of 2005 the
country had installed 320,000 small wind turbine generators with a
total capacity of 65,000 kw. These are used to supply power to
residents in remote areas, according to the report.
(Xinhua News Agency January 16, 2007)
