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| China Has Potential To Be World's Biggest Wind Energy Market By 2020 |
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| December 20, 2005 |
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China could double its 2020 target for wind energy, according to a report released by the Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association on the eve of the global renewable energy conference in Beijing.
China's current wind energy plan is to reach 30,000 MW of wind capacity by 2020, explains 'Wind Force 12 in China' that was developed by Greenpeace and the European Wind Energy Association. The current world leader, Germany, has 17,000 MW of turbines, but the report says China could install 40,000 MW within 15 years, 100,000 MW by 2030 and 400,000 MW by 2050.
That level would be equal to the total current generating capacity of all the power stations in Britain, Germany, India and Brazil combined. It would require 20,000 modern turbines by 2020, with an investment of US$40 billion.
A capacity of 40,000 MW of wind turbines would generate 80,000 GWh of electricity per year, enough to meet the annual consumption of Beijing and Hong Kong combined, or to meet the needs of 60 million Chinese homes based on average household consumption in Beijing.
"Even allowing for the practicality of finding and using sites; the technical potential (that which can be practically accessed by current technology) on land and at sea is estimated to be over 2,000 GW, four times the current total generating capacity of all China's power stations," the report notes.
The report emphasizes the benefits of wind power to the environment, economy and energy security in China, and says large-scale development of wind would provide new capacity quickly to reduce economically harmful energy shortages now, and make wind power more significant than nuclear in China within 15 years. It would protect China from fluctuating fuel prices, reduce the country's heavy reliance on energy imports with a secure indigenous power supply, significantly reduce carbon emissions; relieve acute air quality problems by reducing coal burning, create a strong domestic wind manufacturing industry that creates skilled jobs, and "put China on track to become the world's leader in wind energy."
"The development of renewable energy plays a crucial strategic role in the power supply of China," says Xu Dingming of the National Development & Reform Commission. "Wind energy growth in China is now on a fast track and globally we believe that wind power will become the primary alternative energy in the future."
Source : BEIJING, China, November 16, 2005 (Refocus Weekly) |
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