Wind Energy in China

The wind energy potential in China is very substantial.

The ordinary citizens of most western countries are generally ignorant of the advances that are happening in alternative energy developments in China, with many media stories focussed on energy from coal, and quite dirty energy too. Wind energy particularly has developed enormously over the past 15 years or so. In the mid 1990s, there were the emergence of some significant wind energy projects often funded by the EU or member countries.

Developments since then have been, well, like many things in China - absolutely enormous.

Currently, China's wind power installed capacity has reached 42GW at the end of 2010, and is the largest wind power producer in the world. By contrast Australia's wind energy capacity is about 2GW [2009 data], yet we have significant resources, not being used.

China is expected to increase capacity to 135 GW in 5 years and 513 GW in 20 years, according to some sources. This means in the next 20 years, China will add an average of about 25 GW of wind power installed capacity and invest more than 25 billion Euros in the wind power market every year.

The land-based wind energy resource in the western region of Xinjiang accounts for 37% of the national total. By the end of 2015, Xinjiang's wind power installed capacity will reach 60 GW.

To further enhance these develpment projects a major conference in May is being held in Urumqi [Xinchiang Province] to attempt to bring projects and money together.

China does need clean energy, as much energy currently is from some pretty dirty coal power plants. But.......watch China........I think we shall see a very large incease in alternative energy as a power source, with wind a large part of that increase.

They are planning a lot of nuclear power plants too.............although no doubt like others, the recent Japan incidents might influence their thinking.