Rich in oil and natural gas, the Bohai Sea may become another
type of powerhouse one day - by harnessing the wind.
In November China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC) started
operation of China's first offshore wind power plant. Installed on
the company's Bohai Suizhong 36-1 oil platform 70 km off the coast,
the facility has an installed capacity of 1.5 MW.
The plant can generate 4.4 million kWh of electricity a year. It
will eliminate 3,500 tons carbon dioxide emissions and 11 tons of
sulfur dioxide annually.
"The wind there is endless and not too strong," Liu Junshan,
spokesman of CNOOC said.
Xinjiang Goldwind, China's leading wind turbine producer, made
the equipment for the plant using its patented self-developed
technology, says Liu.
Operation of the plant will provide valuable experience for
larger projects in the future, but CNOOC is not yet capable of
building large-scale commercial offshore wind power plants, says
Liu.
"It is just a model project. At present we have not made
detailed plans for the offshore wind power business."
"But we will pay more attention to the development of clean
energy and renewable energy such as wind power," says Liu.
Challenges
China has large wind resources, both onshore and offshore.
The nation's offshore wind energy potential is around 750 GW, three
times the potential on land, Shi Pengfei, vice-chairman of the
Chinese Wind Energy Association said.
Like CNOOC, other domestic entities have embarked on offshore
wind power projects. The economic hub of Shanghai is building the
country's largest offshore wind power plant.
Located north of the Donghai Bridge, the country's first long
cross-sea span, the power plant will have an installed capacity of
100 MW. It will be equipped with 34 wind turbines, says Shi.
When operational in 2010, it will be a highlight for the World
Expo 2010 Shanghai, he says.
Despite its promise, offshore wind power industry remains in the
developmental stage in China. There are many challenges in
technology and operations, says Shi.
High cost is the biggest problem. "Construction of an offshore
plant costs more than twice that of a plant with the same capacity
on land," says Shi.
Also, the complex weather at sea requires much more durable
hardware. Strong winds or the changing temperatures can destroy
equipment.
Some experts are also concerned about the environmental impact
of offshore wind power plants. They say such plants will damage the
undersea ecosystem.
"Compared with wind power on land, offshore wind power now still
accounts for a small part," says Shi.
The total installed offshore wind power capacity worldwide is
around 1 GW, while land units generate 75 GW.
Europe has the most offshore plants in the world, with Denmark,
Sweden and the UK leading technological advancement in the field,
says Shi.
The future
Despite the challenges, Shi is optimistic about the future of
offshore wind power.
"Facing soaring oil prices and more serious environmental and
climate change issues, more and more companies have their eyes on
wind power, both on land and offshore."
According to statistics from HSBC, wind energy is the most
cost-effective energy resource when oil is above $49 a barrel - and
it is almost twice that now.
In China, the wind power sector has seen rapid growth in the
past few years. By the end of 2006 the total installed capacity in
the country was about 2,600 MW. In that year alone, the country
added a total of 1,300 MW of wind power capacity.
The output is expected to grow a further 1,000 MW this year, Shi
says. Determined to promote sustainable development, China has set
a goal of 30,000 MW of wind power capacity by 2020.
Several leading global companies have shown interest in the
offshore wind power in China. Vestas and Siemens both said earlier
they are considering cooperating with Chinese companies in the
field.
Denmark-based Vestas began to provide wind turbines to China in
1986 and has become the largest foreign supplier of wind turbines
in the country. Ditlev Engel, president and CEO of the company,
earlier said it is a great opportunity for Vestas to plan offshore
projects together with Chinese companies.
Last year Siemens acquired the Danish company Bonus to become
the world leader in offshore wind energy. The company is in
discussions with Chinese enterprises for cooperation, according to
Siemens China President and CEO Richard Hausmann.
The German industrial conglomerate is restructuring its
portfolio into three sectors - industry, energy and healthcare. The
energy sector will comprise power generation, transmission and
distribution, says Hausmann.
On November 18, Siemens Medium Voltage Switching Technologies
(Wuxi) Ltd celebrated its 10th anniversary. With its fast and
steady development over the past decade, the company has played a
significant role in China's power industry.
(China Daily, December 10, 2007)