Wind energy to serve as major power driver (Xinhua) Updated: 2005-11-07 09:07
Wind energy can become China's third major power supply by 2020, with an
expected installed capacity of 40 million kilowatts, said an industrial report
released on Sunday.
The capacity figure doubles that in a governmental plan in 2004.
The report, jointly released on the eve of the Beijing International
Renewable Energy Conference by the China Renewable Energy Industries Association
(CREIA), Greenpeace and the EuropeanWind Energy Association (EWEA), said the
capacity can satisfy the power demand of 80 million people with an estimated
production of 80 billion kwh.
It can also help reduce the emission of carbon dioxide by 48 million tons
annually in the country, said the report named "Wind Force 12 in China".
"Wind Force 12" is an annual blue book on the global development of wind
power published by EWEA and Greenpeace. The blueprint said that the prosperous
wind energy will supply 12 percent of the world's power demand by 2020.
Coal, hydro-power and nuclear power currently make the three major power
supplies in China.
The governmental goal for the development of wind energy as an alternative
power supply is to reach an installed capacity of 20 million kilowatts by 2020,
which was regarded too understated earlier this year.
The government, however, is considering lifting the goal, said Wu Guihui,
deputy director of the energy resources bureau of the State Development and
Reform Commission.
Wu said that the commission has proposed, in its new plan for wind power
development in the next 15 years, to raise the figure to 30 million kilowatts,
but it has to pass the review of the State Council.
With 43 wind power stations, China had an installed capacity of only 760,000
kilowatts by the end of 2004. But the report said that the country is seeing
rapid growth in this sector. The installed capacity rose 16.4, 21.1 and 34.7
percent annually in the previous three years.
The report also predicted that wind energy can take the place of hydro power
and become the second major power supply by 2050 when its installed capacity is
expected to reach 400 million kilowatts.
The implementation of the Law on Renewable Resources, which is scheduled to
start on January 1, 2006, is expected to offer great momentum for the
development of the country's wind power industry,said Greenpeace campaigner Yu
Jie.
The growth of wind power in China, however, may be hindered by the high cost
of the industry, as the country's wind power equipment has to mainly depend on
import at present, said Wu.
Nevertheless, he said, the industry will surely gain substantial progress in
China under the context of the country's endeavor in building an energy-saving,
environmentally friendly society.
Wu said that the country supports wind energy technology development of
domestic enterprises, while at the same time it welcomes investments from
foreign technology.
He said that the huge Chinese market of the wind power industryis attractive
to foreign investors.
EWEA chairman Arthouros Zervos said that his association and its Chinese
partner CREIA are making efforts in pushing forward the development of wind
power in China, and he hopes, as the report predicted, wind energy as an
alternative power supply can have a bright future in the
country.
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