Jan 19, 2011

Half of China’s wind power is off the grid

Off-grid.net China is now the world's largest generator of wind energy and nearly half of the power produced by wind turbines inside China is not connected to the Grid. If that works for the world's fastest growing economy, then why not in the West as well?

China's installed wind-generation capacity reached 41.8 GigaWatts (GW) at the end of last year, compared to 40.2GW in the US.

Chinese companies lead the world in solar manufacturing but most solar modules are destined for export, with relatively little capacity in the country itself. China's domestic wind industry, by contrast, is growing rapidly. China has set an ambitious target of 90GW by 2015.

The country's production of turbines ballooned by 62 per cent in 2010. Its turbine production capacity rose to 16GW last year, putting it ahead of the US for the first time, according to a report in the state-run Xinhua News Agency.

US Companies like GE are being forced to convert their Chinese operations into Joint Ventures in order to keep them alive.

Comments?
Everything sounds green, looks green, but is it?
This what gets me, none of the efforts of wind generation efforts will amount to nothing in the long run. All the 20GW was absorbed by the increase of population and industry, How much energy is required to manufacture wind turbines in the first place, all the parts and components and to maintain the grid there on. Now there is also increase in food, getting the food, transporting food people supplies, The concept of free power sounds great until one puts all the relative figures on paper not just the figures you want us to hear.