Xinjiang facing wind power dilemma

The wind power industry is unlikely to take off in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region unless it solves problems including high costs, according to an official from the region on June 25.

"We have no problem with investment and technology to develop the wind power industry," Zhu Qian, deputy director of the Committee of Education, Science, Culture, Health and Sports of the regional political consultative committee, told chinadaily.com.cn, "but the costs for producing wind power are too high and not competitive with traditional energy."

Overcapacity and transmitting problems also hamper the wind power industry growth, he added, without elaboration.

Xinjiang is one of the areas with the most abundant wind power resources in the country. The reserve, ranking second nationwide, is as high as 890 gigawatts, accounting for 20.4 percent of the total amount in China.

Wind power is still widely believed to be one of China's most important sources of clean energy, as the country strives to boost its efficiency and production during the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-16).

By 2015, China will build a 10.8-million-kW wind power farm in Hami, Xinjiang. China also plans to build another six 10-million-kW wind-power farms by 2020.

The seven bases, including Hami, will have a combined capacity of 90 million kW by 2020, accounting for 60 percent of the country's total.