Green revolution in China

By Shi Jing (China Daily European Weekly)

The wind energy sector is powering ahead in China

Standing tall among the trees in Huaihai Park in one of the busiest commercial districts of Shanghai is a modern windmill, put up by the city government as a statement of its environmental priorities. Similar to other cities and regions across the country, efforts in environmental improvement in Shanghai center on the development of alternative energy to power economic growth.

China's rapidly expanding market for alternative power is attracting foreign companies which are leaders in the wind power generation sector. Zhang Ke / For China Daily
As a result, China has become a leader in the use of wind power. Wind farms that occupy thousands of hectares of land are mushrooming in China, from the desert plains in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region to the rainforests on Hainan island. Windmills built with homegrown technology are also being exported to many foreign countries.

To tap the rapidly expanding Chinese market for alternative power, many foreign companies leading in this field have established manufacturing and research operations in Shanghai and other major cities. For example, Siemens of Germany has built a wind turbine blade production plant in Shanghai and the facility is considered the most advanced among all Chinese cities in harnessing wind as an energy source.

Wind power generated about 5 percent of the city's energy consumption. There are 21 wind power stations being built that use wind turbines supplied by Shanghai Electric and more than 400 wind power generation units have been installed, of which 300 sets have been connected to the power grid.

Shanghai Electric, which is also one of the largest diversified equipment manufacturing groups in China, is rapidly emerging as an important supplier of core wind power generator parts and complete wind power generation units. Its dominant position in the industry has established Shanghai as the center for wind power development and equipment production.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Siemen's Shanghai plant, Wolfgang Dehen, CEO of the Siemens Energy Sector and member of the managing board of Siemens AG, says the potential for growth in wind power in China is great.