Wind energy reaches new milestone in China

Wind energy reaches new milestone in China

February 2, 2013 0 By Tami Hood

China wind energy

China wind energy takes another step forward

Wind energy has become China’s third largest source of power, according to the People’s Daily Online. The country has long relied on fossil-fuels, but has been making a concerted effort to embrace alternative energy and environmentally friendly practices. Wind energy has successfully surpassed the country’s nuclear power capacity and is quickly shaping up to become a replacement for nuclear energy altogether. Wind power is only one of the various alternative energies that the country has been focusing on in recent months, with solar energy receiving a significant amount of the government’s attention.

60GW wind energy capacity registered in 2012

Wind energy generation in China totaled 100.4 billion kilowatt-hours in 2012, higher than the country’s nuclear energy generation during the same year. In 2012, China brought more than 60.83 gigawatts of installed wind energy capacity online. This wind energy systems now account for 2% of the country’s energy supply. Though China may have reached a significant milestone, this is only the tip of the iceberg for the country’s plans concerning alternative energy.

Country revises alternative energy goals

Earlier this month, China made revisions to its five-year alternative energy plan. Such revisions have become common for the country, which continues exceed its own expectations when it comes to the use of renewable power. The Central Government has again highlighted alternative energy as a key to the country’s continued economic growth, noting that this sector will be receiving significantly more attention in the coming years. The plan calls for the country to have more than 100 gigawatts of installed wind energy capacity by the end of 2015.Much of the support the wind energy sector will see will come from the China Wind Energy Association.

Wind energy continues to be a major focus for the Central Government

China has emerged as one of the world’s strongest and most aggressive supporters of alternative energy. The country’s focus on solar energy has, indeed, been a controversial topic in other parts of the world, but China’s wind energy industry has not yet encountered such problems. For now, much of the country’s wind energy industry remains within its own borders, though there are some enterprising Chinese companies that have been participating in foreign wind energy markets.

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