URUMQI: Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which is rich in wind and solar resources, saw a 103 percent increase year on year in installed new energy capacity in the first half of this year (H1).
Among the new 14.08 million kW of installed new energy capacity in Xinjiang, wind power accounts for 4.28 million kW and solar power for 9.8 million kW, according to the latest data from the State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power Co., Ltd.
This year, the region has been leveraging its resources and geographical advantages for both energy security and green, low-carbon development. Efforts are being made to build a national strategic base for energy resources and to continuously accelerate the construction of a new type of power system with new energy as the mainstay, increasing the proportion of renewable energy, said a manager of the company. To date, Xinjiang’s installed new energy capacity has exceeded 80 million kW, with all 14 prefecture-level areas having an installed new energy capacity surpassing 1 million kW. Also located within Xinjiang are three 10-million-kW-level new energy bases.
Earlier, China and Kazakhstan have been stepping up cooperation on renewable energy projects in recent years, aiming to leverage Kazakhstan’s vast renewable resources with China’s advanced technology and investment capacity.
Chinese wind turbine manufacturer Xinjiang Goldwind Science &Technology Co Ltd said Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, have become some of the company’s core markets, with more than 319,000 kilowatts of wind power capacity installed in the region as of the end of the first quarter.
China and Central Asian countries have continued to expand green energy cooperation over the past few years, with a number of cooperation projects completed or under construction, said Gao Jinshan, vice-president of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region-based company.
The company is looking at opportunities to invest in factories in Kazakhstan to achieve local wind turbine manufacturing, as a growing number of Chinese energy companies are stepping up renewable energy investment in the region, Gao said. An industry expert believes Chinese firms, with their outstanding capabilities in cost control and strong performance in green energy tech advancements, have stood out on the global stage when bidding for overseas projects. Su Chang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Central Asian countries are not only rich in traditional energy reserves, but also in renewable energy, with great potential for development. –Agencies
