Wind power sector's fast growth to aid China's green goal

The booming development of the wind power sector will help China meet its ambitious goal of peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060, said a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

China has become the world's largest wind power equipment manufacturing base as well as a key exporter of wind turbines and parts,Wu Gang, a member of the 13 National Committee of the CPPCC, said on the sidelines of the ongoing two sessions on Thursday.

Wu, who is also chairman of Xinjiang Goldwind Science and Technology Co Ltd,a leading Chinese wind turbine maker, said the installed capacity of the nation's wind power has increased fourfold during the past 10 years, among which offshore wind power installed capacity has grown a hundredfold.

He noted China's wind power has become the third-largest in the world, ranking behind thermal power and hydropower.

Data from the National Energy Administration showed China's installed capacity of grid-connected wind power has reached 300.15 million kilowatts, double that of 2016, and it has topped globally for 12 consecutive years.

Wu said areas rich in wind and solar energy recourse such as Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Qinghai province and Gansu provinces have witnessed booming development of equipment manufacturing.

Wu said wind energy produces only 1 percent of carbon dioxide produced by thermal power per kilowatt-hour of electricity generated, saying more than 140 billion kWh of green and clean electricity has been delivered to the central and eastern region of China from Xinjiang Uygur, Inner Mongolia autonomous region and other places every year.

Currently, Chinese wind power equipment manufacturers takes the sixth place in the ranking of the world's top 10 wind power equipment manufacturers, providing products for over 40 countries in the globe, Wu added.

Given China's considerable progress during the past years, Wu believed the development of wind power will help the nation achieve its ambitious carbon peaking and neutrality goals.