China to Host Asia’s Largest Offshore Wind Event

The number of firms in China exiting or reducing their exposure to the wind power sector is expected to significantly level off, as new policies supporting renewable energy being developed at the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the National People’s Congress (NPC) come on line.

At the end of last year, China Longyuan Power Group’s 150MW demonstration offshore wind power farm in Rudong county, Jiangsu province was completed and put into operation, evidencing the gradual recovery of China’s wind power sector and the entry into an era of large-scale development for its offshore component.

Thirty-four wind generators with a total capacity of 100MW in the first phase of the East Sea Bridge Offshore Wind Power Farm in Shanghai have been connected to the grid, and the second phase with a total installed capacity of 116.6MW is expected to start in the second half of 2013. The 102MW Phase-I offshore wind power project in Lingang area of Shanghai, China, Three Gorges Corporation’s 200MW offshore wind power project in Xiangshui county, Jiangsu province and Shandong Luneng Group’s 200MW offshore wind power project in Dongtai, Jiangsu province are all expected to be put into operation in early 2014. Meanwhile, several coastal provinces and cities among them Fujian, Guangxi and Hainan provinces as well as the city of Dalian have preliminarily given the green light to projects calling for the development of 43GW in potential offshore wind power resources, while preliminary work for 38 of the projects with a total capacity of 16.5GW has already been started. According to China’s wind power development plan for the 12th Five-Year period spanning 2011-2015, the country’s offshore wind power industry expects to have an overall installed capacity of 5 GW by 2015 and 30 GW by 2020.

Offshore Wind China 2013, the largest event of its kind in Asia and the second largest in the world, will be held at the Shanghai New International Expo Center and Kerry Hotel Pudong Shanghai from 19 to 21 June 2013, as part of this important period of transition as China’s offshore wind power industry evolves from demonstration projects to large-scale development. The event is jointly organized by the Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association, the Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Committee, the China National Renewable Energy Centre and Shanghai Intermational Exhibition Co., Ltd.

The theme of Offshore Wind China 2013 is “Promote Recovery of Wind Power Industry, Power Beautiful China.” The National Energy Administration will attend the exhibition together with the development and reform commissions of every coastal region. All major wind power developers in China will appear at the event. In addition, global major offshore wind power manufacturers will present new highlights, including Sinovel’s diversification strategy, new strategic directions for Shanghai Electric and Siemens following the establishment of their joint venture, Vestas’ new moves in offshore wind, Goldwind’s new initiatives in the sector, the 20th anniversary for Ming Yang Wind Power’s launch of a 6MW offshore wind engine, Gamesa’s new plans for establishment of a 5MW offshore wind engine in China as well as Suzlon’s news plans for its activities in the Chinese market. Governments of many countries which perform well in offshore wind power sector, including the UK, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands, are coming to Shanghai with delegations made up of industry experts, academics and company executives, to discuss the direction of development across the sector. Topics on the agenda for the event will cover policies and market, technological innovations, operation and maintenance, case analysis as well as investment and financing. The event is expected to attract 500 participants, of which more than 30 per cent are from abroad. Nearly 100 guests from both within and outside of China are scheduled to deliver speeches across a program divided into 14 events. Concurrently, the organizer will launch Distributed Generation China 2013, an international wind power sector gathering that integrates distributed power generation technology, micro-grid system and energy storage equipment.

At this critical evolution phase for China’s offshore wind power sector as it transitions from demonstration project to full-scale development, the organizer will host an event entitled “Trade Talks Among Makers of Complete Turbine and Spare Parts.” Complete turbine makers including Sinovel, Shanghai Electric, Siemens, Harbin Electric & General Electric and Ming Yang Wind Power will assign purchasing department heads to sit at the trade talks where they will participate in a face to face discussion and exchange of ideas with spare parts makers from around the world.

This professional platform for communication and cooperation of the globaloffshore wind power industry carries high expectations for driving the progress and development of the sector and assumes a responsibility for becoming an historical turning point that makes new contributions to the dream and mission of achieving meaningful and enduring offshore wind power development. It is the expectation of all attendees that this historic moment for the sector will be long remembered after this event has concluded.

[mappress]

Press release, June 13, 2013; Image: offshorewindchina