China doubles its wind power

Adelaide Advertiser
Friday 5/2/2010 Page: 65

CHINA doubled the amount of energy generated from windmills last year, a report from the global wind industry said yesterday. The Global Wind Energy Council, which represents companies that make and manage wind energy stations, said the sector grew rapidly last year - with total wind capacity up 31% - despite the global economic downturn.

The market for new wind turbines was worth $63 billion in 2009, it said. China became the biggest market for new wind turbines last year, as it doubled power capacity from 12 GWs to 25 GWs. The world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases is turning to renewables as well as coal as its growing economy calls for more power. China aims to increase that sixfold - to 150 GWs - by 2020. The Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association says it could hit that target far earlier.