China's wind farms are moving offshore, with the largest project going into commercial use in coastalÂ
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Jiangsu province.
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The 150-megawatt farm opened off Rudong county in November and will supply up to 190,000 residentsÂ
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with renewable energy a year, according to the China Longyuan Power Group, which runs the farm.
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"It marks the country's entry into the new era of developing large, offshore wind-energy projects," saidÂ
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Zhou Qinsheng, a climate and energy expert with Greenpeace.
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A Greenpeace report last year said wind energy in southeastern China can generate 500 gigawatts ofÂ
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power, about twice the country's hydropower consumption in 2012 of about 249 gW, according to theÂ
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State Electricity Regulatory Commission.
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Compared with onshore wind farms, offshore facilities are competitive in terms of wind resources, landÂ
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and ecology, Zhou said.
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China's offshore wind power generating capacity is expected to reach 5 gW by 2015 and 30 gW by 2020,Â
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according to the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15) on wind power. "It is a huge market. China is aÂ
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newcomer and a fast learner," Zhou said.
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However, he warned wind power companies to think twice before rushing into the market because itÂ
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entails high costs and demanding technologies.
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He estimates that the early-stage assessment for a potential offshore wind farm takes three to five yearsÂ
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— sometimes dozens of years — and the costs are at least double those of land projects, with additionalÂ
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seabed cables to be installed and high maintenance fees.
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Jia Nansong, a spokesman for China Longyuan Power Group, said in November that the average cost ofÂ
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offshore wind power is CNY15,000 a kW, about 5,000 yuan more than that generated throughÂ
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hydropower.
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Despite the difficulties, Goldwind Group, one of China's biggest manufacturers of wind power equipment,Â
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has stepped into the market, supplying 20 wind turbines of 2.5 megawatts each to the intertidal wind farmÂ
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operated by China Longyuan Power Group in Jiangsu.
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Offshore wind turbines are more demanding technically than those onshore, as they have to resist salt fog,Â
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typhoons, floating ice and other tough environmental conditions, said Ma Jinru, vice-president andÂ
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secretary of the board of Goldwind Group.
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"If an offshore wind turbine breaks down in strong wind, it may take days for engineers to be able toÂ
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reach the turbine and fix it," she said.
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Unexpected weather at sea is a worry for Song Lili, chief scientist at the China MeteorologicalÂ
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Administration's Wind and Solar Energy Resources Center.
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"There are extreme weather events, such as tsunamis and typhoons, that can cause severe damage toÂ
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offshore wind farms," she said, suggesting that weather reports every 15 minutes will help keep windÂ
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farms operating safely.
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Although China is a newcomer to offshore wind power, it has highlighted renewable energy in its futureÂ
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energy map.
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In the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15), enhancing offshore wind power projects is mentioned in the localÂ
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marine economy guidance for most coastal provinces, including Shandong, Jiangsu, Fujian, Liaoning,Â
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Zhejiang and Hainan.
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The plan states that by 2015 the country will support offshore wind power projects, improveÂ
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meteorological support and improve the installation capacity of offshore wind power turbines.
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Jia, of the China Longyuan Power Group, said his company will enter the offshore wind power market inÂ
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Jiangsu and Fujian.
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Li Yan, who heads the climate and energy campaign for Greenpeace, said: "There is every reason thatÂ
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China should support wind power. Resources are abundant, production costs are being lowered and theÂ
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technology is maturing, all of which make commercial development very promising."
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Many see wind energy as crucial to reducing the carbon emissions scientists believe are responsible forÂ
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global warming, and it may play an important role in China's sustainable development.
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The nation put its first offshore wind power project out to tender in October 2010.
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Ma, at Goldwind Group, said: "The first round of official bidding for the operation of offshore wind powerÂ
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projects has shown that the Chinese government strongly supports the trend in offshore wind powerÂ
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construction."
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While authorities are giving the go-ahead to boost the offshore wind power market, environmentalists areÂ
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concerned about the potential impact.
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China requires offshore wind power projects to avoid areas involving marine transport, military use,Â
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marine protection and mineral resources.
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Greenpeace expert Zhou said this is far from sufficient, as large offshore wind farms may have sideÂ
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effects on wildlife, fishing and bird migration.
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An official at the State Oceanic Administration, who did not want to be identified, conceded there areÂ
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possible side effects, but said that before an offshore wind power project is given the go-ahead, aÂ
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comprehensive environmental assessment is carried out.
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By the end of 2011, China had installed a wind power generating capacity of 260 megawatts, ranking thirdÂ
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in the world after Britain and Denmark.Â