Wind power plays larger role in China

China Wind Power Expansion reflects rapid renewable energy growth, scaling installed capacity from coal-heavy grids to wind farms and hydroelectricity, with megawatt turbines, gigawatt targets, Inner Mongolia projects, and significant investment enhancing grid integration.

Since the Electric Power Law was passed in 1996, China has grown rapidly to become the second-largest electricity consumer, after the United States. The law promoted the development of the electrical industry and a vast number of electrical-generation infrastructures, and granted protection of rights to providers, consumers and investors alike.

At the end of 2000, China boasted an installed capacity of 315 gigawatts GW, mostly through the utilization of coal. China has the third-largest coal reserves in the world. By 2007, the country's installed capacity had risen to 713 GW, and it later surpassed 800 GW as expansion continued. China anticipates at least 900 GW by the end of this year, amid power sector reforms shaping the market.

In 2007, thermal power still accounted for most power generation in the country however, renewable energy was beginning to rear its head. Hydroelectricity was becoming a popular form of green energy due to the numerous lakes and rivers in central and southern China, and accounted for about 14. In contrast, less than 0.1 of China's installed capacity in 2007 was provided by wind power. By the end of 2009, installed wind-generated power had risen to about 2.9, or about 25 GW, as China led in wind capacity in global rankings.

Aside from the large wind projects that have been implemented by the government, several smaller wind projects are springing up under public-owned and government-owned companies, as national wind capacity reached 15.85 GW during the push. Between now and the end of the year, four individual projects are scheduled for construction kick-off, with investments reaching almost $700 million. These four projects will provide an additional 453 MW to local grids.

The largest of these projects, the $450 million Chifeng Luotuotaizi Windfarm, is marked down for construction commencement in October. Beijing Guohong Hua'an Energy Investment Company Limited is preparing to begin the installation of 150 pylons each to be fitted with a 2-megawatt MW capable turbine generator in Zhirui, which is near Chifeng, about 420 kilometers northeast of Beijing in Inner Mongolia, as China added 3,304 MW of wind during that period. Project completion is set for sometime during the fourth quarter of 2012 when completed, the Chifeng Luotuotaizi Windfarm is expected to provide the local grid with 300 MW of renewable energy.

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