Shanghai will spend 800 million yuan (US$103 million) in the
construction of a new wind power plant in a coastal landfill area.
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The plant, in an exposed landfill area overlooking the East
China Sea, will be built by the Shanghai Environment Group and
Shanghai Huadian Electric Power Development Co Ltd.
The two sides agreed on Tuesday to set up a joint venture,
namely Shanghai Huagang Wind Power Generation Co, to oversee the
project. The new company will place 200 million yuan (US$25.8
million)?in investment for the first phase of the project, set
to be completed by the end of 2007.
The plant should contain 15 1.5-megawatt wind power generators
with a planned annual capacity of 46.96 million kilowatt-per-hour,
saving 12,000 tons of coal compared with a thermal power station of
similar size.
Landfill operations for the plant, stretching to 40,000 square
meters, have already been completed.
The plant is a cornerstone of Shanghai's strategy to catch up
with other regions in tapping into wind power.
Currently, three small wind farms generate a mere 25 MW of power
for Shanghai's vast energy needs.
"By 2010 the total wind power capacity will be around 300 MW
forming 2 percent of the city's total installed power capacity,"
said Li Xin, an official with the Shanghai Development and Reform
Commission.
At the end of 2005, China had 62 wind farms in operation with a
total energy capacity of 1,266 MW. The government has set itself a
target of 5,000 MW for 2010 and 30,000 MW for 2020, by when, if the
goal is reached, wind power will account for 3 percent of the
country's total power needs.
(Xinhua News Agency February 7, 2007)