China grabs 42% of global installed wind capacity in '11

In 2011, China installed 17.63 million kilowatts of new wind power generators, totaling China's wind power generation capacity at 62.36 million kilowatts, both the 2011 increment and China's total generation capacity ranking 1st in the world. Just back in 2005, China's installed wind power capacity was merely 1.27 million kilowatts. In 2010, 90 percent of China's wind power equipments were Chinese products, but the number was merely 10 percent in 2005. Since the 16th CPC National Congress, particularly since 2005, China's wind power has been developing energetically, attracting the attention of the whole world.

On the grassland of Chifeng City in Inner Mongolia, the gigantic white windmills and the blue sky, the white cloud, and the greenness of the land form a beautiful painting.

This is Saihanba Wind Farm, the largest wind farm currently in service in the world. "When we were getting started here in 2004, there was not any auxiliary facility at all here. The wind blows all year round and was considered a liability by local residents", a senior employee of China Datang Corporation Renewable Power Co., Ltd. told the reporter.

Now, the wind farm generates 200 million kilowatts of electricity every year, equal to the amount of electricity consumed by Chifeng's 4.6 million residents in 6 months, saving up to 700,000 tons of standard coal. Several other wind farms have also been built around this farm. Windmills have become a view on the grassland, turning the once damaging wind into clean energy that lights up tens of thousands of households.

Biggest installed capacity in the world

Since 2005, China's wind power had scored doubled annual growth for five years in a row, reaching an installed power generation capacity of 44.73 million kilowatts in 2010, making China the biggest wind power country in the world.

The Saihanba Wind Farm is a miniature of the leap-forward development of China's wind power in recent years. Since 2005, China's wind power has scored double annual growth for five consecutive years. In 2005, China's installed wind power generation capacity was merely 1.27 million kilowatts, and the number reached 25 million kilowatts in 2009, overtaking Germany to become the world's second largest wind power country. In 2010, China's installed wind power generation capacity exceeded 44.73 million kilowatts, becoming the largest wind power country in the world.

In 2010, MAKE, a famous Danish consultant organization, published a survey report that pointed out that the rapid rise of Chinese suppliers was changing the structure of the global wind power industry, and it was estimated that China's market would account for about 38 percent of global installed capacity in between the year 2011 and 2016. Now, the market share of China's wind power in the global market has exceeded this estimation that was considered rather bold at that time. In 2011, the world added a record high installed capacity of 41.7 million kilowatts, and China took up 42 percent of the increment with 17.63 million kilowatts of new power generation capacity.

As China's wind power develops, a group of Chinese wind power equipment manufacturers have made their ways into the top rank of the industry globally. In 2011, 4 Chinese enterprises entered the world's top 10 enterprises that had the biggest added installed wind power generation capacity, these 4 Chinese companies being Goldwind, Sinovel, United Power, and Ming Yang Wind Power, ranking 2nd, 7th, 8th and 10th respectively. These four Chinese enterprises account for nearly 60 percent of the Chinese market, indicating that the concentration level of China's wind power equipment market continues to increase.

Before 2003, China's wind power equipment manufacturing industry was a rather backward industry. While in Inner Mongolia, the reporter found that almost all of the wind turbines and equipments in wind farms that were built in early years were imported. Chinese equipments became more popular only after 2005. According to statistics, of the 2.59 million kilowatts installed wind power capacity in 2006, Chinese equipments accounted for only 30 percent, while the rest more than 60 percent were taken up by foreign equipments. Besides, the 30 percent Chinese equipments were mostly wind turbines of less than 800 kilowatts, and the megawatt turbine market was basically occupied by foreign enterprises.

Today, China's wind power equipment manufacturing industry has evolved from a rather backward industry into a global competitor. The manufacturing cost of a unit/kilowatt dropped from RMB 7,000 Yuan in the early period of the 11th Five-year Plan to below RMB 4,000 Yuan, a decrease rate of 40 percent. In addition, the supply system of key parts and components of wind turbine has been improving gradually. Chinese manufacturers have covered such key parts as turbine blades, gear box, bearing, engine, and frequency converter. China also has the independent capability to produce turbine blade, engine frame, wheel boss, cover piece, among others.

Source:CE.cn