Green Scene

Wind farm systems

The Research Center for Wind Resources at Sun Yat-Sen University in southern China has developed several advanced wind farm-siting systems following several years of research. The new systems are the Regional Wind Resource Information System, the Integrated Wind Farm Siting System and the CFD Wind Farm Siting System.

The center's Dr. Zeng Xuelan said that the systems allow the best sites for wind turbines to be easily located and thus substantially increase their efficiency. The center's systems are also said to be highly cost-effective when compared to foreign ones. Zeng's center has been making considerable efforts to put its research results into practice and is seeking to actively participate in the development of China's wind farm industry.

China has rich wind power resources, with an estimated potential volume of several hundred million kilowatts. Since 2000, China has achieved an average annual growth of 52 percent in the sector, bringing its installed capacity to over 12 million kilowatts, ranking it fourth in the world.

Energy-saving material

The Beijing Weirunda Metallurgical Material Co Ltd has developed a new-type of magnesia-carbon hot-method patching material for converters. Though a fledgling firm, the company, led by the well-known patching material expert, Zhu Wanzheng, has quickly won over many leading players in the country's iron and steel industry. This is largely because the company's patching material can help steelmakers save nearly 40 percent of their costs on patching materials, items frequently used by converters in large volumes. The company's clients include the Shougang Group, the Shougang Jingtang Company, Ma Steel and the Anyang Iron and Steel Company.

Zhu said that, as environmental protection and energy saving are becoming hot issues, his company will do its utmost to continue its efforts to develop energy-saving materials to meet clients' needs, as well as contributing to the development of a green metallurgical industry. He said his company's products will not only help clients cut production costs, but also reduce emissions and substantially prolong the service life of their converters.

Environmental award

Franz Fehrenbach, CEO of Robert Bosch GmbH, won the Environmental category in the Large Enterprise category of the German Environmental Management Association Awards last month. The award recognizes environmentally conscious management practices.

Currently Bosch invests some 45 percent of its research and development budget in technologies that help protect the environment and conserve resources. It generates one third of its sales from such products.

Stylish bike ride

Good to Shanghai launched a stylish cycling event in Shanghai on December 5 with a fun bike ride aimed at encouraging residents and students in China's economic powerhouse to use bikes as a regular transport option in their daily lives. The event was designed to appeal to people from all walks of life and encourage them to do their bit in helping reduce air pollution, whilst keeping fit and having fun.

Good to Shanghai is the umbrella group for a series of environmental and social initiatives that aims to provide people with insightful, accessible and actionable ways to practice and evolve towards "sustainable living".

China Daily

(China Daily 12/05/2009 page7)