Isra-Mart srl:Chinese province reveals wind energy masterplan

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Isra-Mart srl news:

China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region is planning to spend 20 billion yuan (£1.87bn) this year on developing its wind power industry, according to a report in the China Daily newspaper.

The plan will see more than 20 new wind power projects established in the Hami Prefecture, adding 1.65GW of capacity.

The installed wind power capacity in Hami stood at just 100MW last year, but the government estimates the region to have a potential 75GW of capacity, which could cover 63 per cent of Xinjiang's total energy use.

A number of China's largest wind energy developers are supporting the new strategy. China Huadian Corporation has already seen plans for a 200MW wind farm pass the local environmental protection bureau's preliminary review, while Xinjiang Goldwind Science and Technology, China's second-largest wind turbine producer, has set up a production line that will supply 300 2.5MW wind turbine generators every year to the region, increasing to 800 turbines after two years.

In addition, at least seven other companies are planning to launch turbine production lines in Hami in the next few years.

The latest investment is part of a long-term strategy that has seen the regional government set a target of delivering 10GW of capacity by 2015, and a total of 90GW across seven areas by 2020.

It is more than 2,500 miles from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region to the densely populated east coast, where the power is required, and some developers have expressed concerns over delays in constructing ultra-high-voltage (UHV) transmission lines.

A recent report by the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) claimed 2.8 billion kilowatt-hours of wind power were wasted in the first six months of 2010 due to lack of grid connection.

However, the regional government is beginning to invest heavily in transmission infrastructure to support the increased capacity, with the People's Daily reporting last month that the local grid operator plans to spend more than 500 billion yuan to upgrade the grid during the twelfth five-year plan (for the years 2011 to 2015).

The next five-year plan will be formally launched tomorrow and is expected to put increased investment in clean energy at the heart of the country's development effiorts.