China Makes Huge Breakthrough in Wind Power Technology

masterofsea

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by Zijun Li on July 4, 2006
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China Makes Huge Breakthrough in Wind Power Technology | Worldwatch Institute


Chinese developers unveiled the world’s first full-permanent magnetic levitation (Maglev) wind power generator at the Wind Power Asia Exhibition 2006 held June 28 in Beijing, according to Xinhua News. Regarded as a key breakthrough in the evolution of global wind power technology—and a notable advance in independent intellectual property rights in China—the generator was jointly developed by Guangzhou Energy Research Institute under China’s Academy of Sciences and by Guangzhou Zhongke Hengyuan Energy Science & Technology Co., Ltd.

The Maglev generator is expected to boost wind energy generating capacity by as much as 20 percent over traditional wind turbines. This would effectively cut the operational expenses of wind farms by up to half, keeping the overall cost of wind power under 0.4 yuan ($US 5 cents), according to Guokun Li, the chief scientific developer of the new technology. Further, the Maglev is able to utilize winds with starting speeds as low as 1.5 meters per second (m/s), and cut-in speeds of 3 m/s, the chief of Zhongke Energy was quoted as saying at the exhibition. When compared with the operational hours of existing wind turbines, the new technology will add an additional 1,000 hours of operation annually to wind power plants in areas with an average wind speed of 3 m/s.

Xinhua News reports that more than 70 million households in China lack access to electricity, with most of them living in areas unconnected to power grids. The widely scattered nature of rural localities makes it difficult to supply grid-based power to these areas. The use of the full-permanent Maglav generator could potentially fill the power void in these locations by harnessing low-speed wind resources that were previously untappable.

With an increasing number of Chinese and international investors joining the global booming wind power market, the technology is expected to create new opportunities in low-wind-speed areas worldwide such as mountain regions, islands, observatories, and television transfer stations. In addition, the Maglev generator will be able to provide roadside lighting along highways by utilizing the airflow generated from vehicles passing by, said Xinhua News.

The global wind power market has seen tremendous growth in recent years, with Germany, Spain, and the United States ranking as the top producers in 2005. The output of wind turbines is increasing rapidly thanks to the world’s ramped-up wind power capacity. Global sales of wind power equipment reached $10 billion in 2004 and are estimated to reach $49 billion per year by 2012, reports Worldwatch researcher Janet Sawin in Vital Signs 2005.
 

masterofsea

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Chinese manufacturer in $1.5 bln U.S. wind project | Reuters
HONG KONG, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Chinese wind turbine manufacturer A-Power Energy Geneneration Systems (APWR.O) said it was building along with U.S. companies a $1.5 billion wind farm project in West Texas.

Construction of the wind farm, one of the largest wind development projects in the United States, would be funded by Chinese banks, the company said in a joint statement.

Policies supporting the environment are boosting clean energy investment in the United States, with U.S. President Barack Obama earlier this year pushing for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to promote innovation and investment in renewable energy.

The wind farm project will have a capacity of 600 megawatts, enough to supply electricity to 180,000 Texas homes.

A-Power, China's largest provider of distributed power generation systems in China, is supplying the wind turbines for the project, the company said, with delivery expected in March 2010.

A-Power's partners in the project are U.S. Renewable Energy Group, an asset management firm, and Cielo Wind Power, a wind developer based in Austin, Texas.

The companies will be developing the wind farm across 36,000 acres, with the project expected to create hundreds of jobs, it said.

(Reporting by Leonora Walet; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)
 

Rage

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Now this is a development that is welcome. Advances in alternative energy sources and their harnessing ought to benefit mankind as a whole. Particularly in emission-belching countries like China and India, this is of crucial importance.

Here's more on the project:

Maglev Technology: Harnessing Renewable Energy from Wind Using Maglev Technology


The first plant is set to come up in central China at a cost of 53 million yuan, with turbines to be installed by U.S based Maglev Wind Turbine Manufacturing Company.

The article does not mention this, but I consider it important to clarify: the technology is not a chinese invention; rather it is the brainchild of Maglev Wind Turbine Technologies, Inc. co-founder and director, Ed Mazur:

YouTube - Maglev Wind Turbine

However, the Chinese have improved upon the design by employing permanent magnets to utilize winds with starting speeds at 1.5 meters per second, and cut-in speeds of 3 m/s.
 

ppgj

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well that is a good achievement. china deserves credit for this.
 

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