China Cementing Global Dominance of Renewable Energy and Technology

[JSCh]

Chinese technology helps Cuba build largest wind farm
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-22 10:33:38|Editor: pengying



By Raimundo Urrechaga

HAVANA, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Cuba aims to become one of the more than 100 countries that will meet their energy demands with renewable sources like wind, water or sunlight by 2050, as experts predict.

To reach that goal, Cuba plans to produce around 24 percent of its total energy needs from different renewable sources by 2030.

It is an ambitious target given that as of 2006, the island nation generated only 4.3 percent of its energy from renewable sources.

One of the key projects currently under construction is a vast complex consisting of two wind farms, La Herradura 1 and La Herradura 2, located in the province of Las Tunas, some 600 km east of Havana.

They will generate around 101 Megawatts (MW) of energy that will be fed into the National Electric System.

Behind the complex is Chinese technology, according to Adela Alvarez, an official at Cuba's Integrated Wind Energy Management company.

Cuban officials chose two Chinese companies to supply the project -- Goldwind Science and Technology Co., a global provider of wind turbines over the last three years, and Dongfang Electric Corporation, a firm specializing in renewable energies and high technology.

La Herradura 1 will be equipped with 34 Goldwind wind turbines measuring 65 meters in height with three 37-meter blades, generating 1.5 MW of power distributed in five circuits.

La Herradura 2 will feature 20 Dongfang wind turbines of 2.5 MW each, which will contribute a total of 50 MW to Cuba's electric grid.

Miguel Casi, an official from Cuba's Electric Union, said the first wind farm will save Cuba nearly 40,000 tons of fuel a year, and stop nearly 130,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) from being released into the atmosphere.

"We estimate the second wind farm could save 39,000 tons of fuel a year, as well as 127,000 tons of CO2," Casi said.

The goal is to have at least one circuit operating by the end of this year.

Cuba currently has more than 9,300 windmills and 20 generators distributed in the nation's four existing wind farms, located in the central province of Ciego de Avila, in the southern Isle of Youth as well as in the northeast province of Holguin, where there are two.

Total installed capacity currently stands at 11.7 MW, which means the Caribbean nation ranks 69th worldwide in wind energy.

Havana will host a forum titled Renewable Energies Cuba 2018, from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1, to showcase business opportunities in the island nation in the alternative energies sector for potential foreign investors.

So far, more than 50 firms from 13 countries have confirmed their presence, including a large number of Chinese corporations.

 

[JSCh]

High-tech, long-distance grid to boost renewables
By Zheng Xin | China Daily | Updated: 2018-01-23 10:18

Two technicians from China Southern Power Grid inspect the Guizhou section of the ±800kV Northwestern Yunnan-Guangdong UHV DC power transmission project. [Photo/Xinhua]

Efficient network to connect B&R cities with far-off green energy hubs

China's ultra-high-voltage direct current transmission technology has substantial potential in countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, with related projects enabling long-distance, high-efficiency clean energy transmission.

"Renewable energy is often generated in places far from the cities and industrial centers that consume it, and this technology could efficiently send it over long distances to boost renewables and drive down carbon emissions," said Li Baojin, chief engineer of China Power Engineering Consulting Group Co Ltd, the company responsible for the project design.

"China has demonstrated that UHV DC lines can be built on a massive scale with the success of its ±800kV Xiangjiaba-Shanghai UHV DC power transmission project and±800kV Yunnan-Guangdong DC Extra-high Voltage power transmission project. We are confident the technology will have a positive effect in countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative."

The country's two major power grid operators, China Southern Power Grid Co Ltd and State Grid Corp of China, started construction on UHV DC transmission lines in 2005 and have successfully built 11 project lines.

Potential markets for the technology include Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, the Philippines and Turkey.

According to Joseph Jacobelli, a senior analyst tracking Asia utilities at Bloomberg Intelligence, China's UHV DC transmission technology has helped to realize the efficient transmission of clean energy from bases in western and northern China.

"There is very good potential for ±800kV UHV long-distance transmission lines in a variety of regions," Jacobelli said.

"They are particularly useful in areas where power is not generated near the key areas of demand."

Considering the future demand for long-distance energy transmission in countries and regions participating the initiative, the technology will have a substantial market in those regions, he added.

The technology is vital to China's energy development as it optimizes energy distribution across the country, Li said.

He added that the technology has the highest voltage, carries the largest capacity of 8 million kilowatts and travels the longest distance of more than 2,000 kilometers, which can significantly reduce transmission losses due to its high efficiency.

The technology was recently awarded a special award for scientific and technological progress during the National Science and Technology Award Conference in January.

State-owned electricity utility company State Grid has landed ultra-high-voltage electricity transmission projects in Brazil, planning to build transmission lines from the huge Belo Monte hydroelectric dam in the Amazon region to the populous center-south region.

The first phase of the Belo Monte UHV DC Transmission Project is expected to start commercial operations by February this year, Li Lequan, deputy director of State Grid International Development Co Ltd, told China Daily in an earlier interview.

According to Jacobelli, Brazil, with its hydropower potential ranking No 3 in the world after Russia and China, is a country with a vast territory and energy consumption centers that are far from where resources are located, like China. The application of the transmission technology would be just as practical in other countries too, including Pakistan and India, in addition to Brazil, he said.

 

[JSCh]

Zimbabwe commissions Chinese-built power plant
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-28 20:42:01|Editor: Lifang

Photo taken on March 28, 2018 shows the Kariba Dam in Kariba, Mashonaland West, Zimbabwe. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday commissioned the 533-million-U.S. dollar Kariba South Hydro Power expansion project, arguably the country's biggest power development project since independence in 1980. (Xinhua/Shaun Jusa)

KARIBA, Zimbabwe, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday commissioned the 533-million-U.S. dollar Kariba South Hydro Power expansion project, arguably the country's biggest power development project since independence in 1980.

The project is expected to ease power shortages for the country that has faced perennial power shortages due to ageing plants and has had to rely on imports to plug the shortfall.

The project, which entailed the addition of 2x150 MW units, was done by China's hydro power engineering and construction firm, Sinohydro from 2014.

The first unit was completed and started feeding into the national grid in December 2017 while the test run for the second unit was completed two weeks ago.

The expansion project has lifted the power plant's installed capacity from 750 MW to 1,050 MW, making it the country's biggest power plant at present.

Mnangagwa said the completion of the project was an exciting development for the country.

"I am so pleased as I talk to Zesa engineers and their colleagues from China that they worked together from day one...and then the implementation of designs and project they have worked harmoniously to achieve this feat.

"It's a great wonder and it shows what we can achieve as a government in collaboration with other institutions to access technology from our friends. We now have 300 MW transmitted into our grid henceforth which we will deduct from our importation of power. This is the way to go," Mnangagwa said.

He thanked China for providing Zimbabwe with state-of-the-art power engineering and technology.

"We assure you that our engineers and technicians are going to maintain this asset for the benefit of our country," he said.

"The cost of this project is around 533 million dollars and it's money well spend, " he addded.

 

[JSCh]

First Mass Production Line for Solar Glass
DOU SHICONG
DATE: WED, 04/18/2018 - 15:36 / SOURCE:YICAI

CNBM Chengdu Opens China’s First Mass Production Line for Solar Glass​

(Yicai Global) April 18 -- CNBM Chengdu Optoelectronic Material Co. has opened China’s first large-scale solar glass production line as it looks to hone in on renewable energy technologies.

The unit under state-backed China National Building Material Group Co., Asia’s largest glass fiber maker, spent eight years developing cadmium telluride thin-film solar modules, which are used in the material, state-owned news agency Xinhua reported. The plant, which opened yesterday in CNBM Chengdu’s hometown, will bridge the technological gap between China and other nations, the report added.

“Nowadays, more and more buildings are using glass curtain walls,” said Pan Jingong, general manager of CBNM Chengdu. “But ordinary glass will heat up under sunlight and cause light pollution. Photovoltaic glass can turn that excess energy into clean energy for the building itself.”

Pan predicts a piece of ordinary glass worth CNY80 (USD12.7) could sell for as much as CNY1,000 (USD159) if it is processed as solar glass. There is huge market potential and a new green industry lies ahead, he added.

Photovoltaic glass sandwiches thin solar cells between two panes of traditional glass, slightly reducing the amount of light traveling through but allowing windows to generate energy from the sun’s light. The technology will lay a solid foundation for the construction of large-scale eco-friendly buildings, added Chu Junhao, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

 

[JSCh]

China builds wind turbine installation ship that can stand wind as strong as hurricane
New China TV
Published on Apr 29, 2018

China has built a massive ship that installs wind turbines at sea. The vessel can stand wind as strong as 16 in scale, equivalent to a medium hurricane.

 

[JSCh]

Dunhuang 100MW Molten Salt Tower Concentrated Solar Power Plant was reported to have recently completed civil work. It is expected to connect to grid in august 2018.

 

[TaiShang]

May 16, 2018

CNESA Global Energy Storage Market Analysis – 2018 Q1 (Summary)

1. THE GLOBAL MARKET

In the first quarter of 2018, the global electrochemical energy storage market experienced a growth of 94MW, a decrease of 37% from Q1 of last year.

In a regional comparison, the United Kingdom showed the greatest increase in new energy storage capacity, at 54.5MW. The United States followed closest behind in new growth. Installations in the United Kingdom and the United States were primarily devoted to ancillary services applications, with such applications making up 99% and 60% of the United Kingdom and the United States’ total installations, respectively.

In distribution of applications, ancillary services displayed the highest operational capacity at 73.8MW, or 79% of the total, an increase of 228% from Q1 of 2017. Behind-the-meter and renewable integration applications were second and third at 14% and 7%, respectively.

In a comparison of technologies, Li-ion batteries held the highest capacity at 93.7MW, or 99.7%. Li-ion batteries were distributed throughout a variety of energy storage applications, with the largest portion concentrated in ancillary services applications, at 79%.

2. THE CHINESE MARKET

China’s newly installed electrochemical capacity was relatively small in the first quarter of 2018, therefore the below analysis focuses only on projects that are newly planned/under construction.

In a regional comparison, projects newly planned/under construction were largely distributed in the areas of Xinjiang, Tibet, Jiangsu, and Inner Mongolia. Of these regions, Tibet and Xinjiang possessed the largest installations, both at 100MW and utilized in renewable integration applications.

In applications newly planned/under construction, the largest capacity was concentrated in renewable integration, at 200MW, or 88% of total applications. Behind-the-meter and ancillary services applications were second and third, at 8% and 4%, respectively. Of these applications, renewable integration and ancillary services both relied completely on Li-ion batteries. Behind-the-meter applications relied primarily on lead-acid batteries, at 89% of the total.

In technologies, projects newly planned/under construction were primarily Li-ion battery and lead-acid battery based, with Li-ion batteries comprising the largest capacity at 211MW, or 93% of the total. Li-ion battery usage was distributed amongst renewable integration, ancillary services, and behind-the-meter applications, with the most prevalent usage seen in renewable integration, at 95%.

 

[JSCh]

World's largest offshore wind platform delivered in E.China
2018-05-22 16:43
By： xinde marine news

The world's largest offshore wind power installation ship, Longyuan Zhenhua III, was delivered on Friday in Nantong City of east China's Jiangsu Province.

The homemade platform is 100.8 meters long, 43.2 meters wide, 8.4 meters high, which can accommodate 120 people.

On the platform, workers can install and hoist large-scale offshore equipment, and pile wind turbines.

"The lifting capacity of similar platform in Europe is 1,600 tons, but that of this one is 2,000 tons by using double hoisters and 1,500 tons by using a single hoister," said Wu Fusheng, a member of the Chinese Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.

Moreover, the platform is forwarding thinking in its design and can install more advanced wind turbine generators which have larger installed capacity.

"The installed capacity of offshore wind turbine generator in China is generally about five to six megawatts, but that of the turbines that can be lifted up by this platform can reach eight to 10 megawatts, so we have been ready for the future," said Dai Wenkai, vice president of the Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co., Ltd., manufacturer of the platform.

It is learned that the platform has a maximum underwater working depth of 50 meters and can save more than 20 percent of construction cost compared with other platforms.

 

[JSCh]

Domestic solar firms gain strength in global market with govt policy support
By Huang Ge in Shanghai Source:Global Times Published: 2018/5/30 0:03:56

China's photovoltaic (PV) industry is playing a dominant role in global solar markets thanks to favorable policies, and it will find new growth opportunities along the Belt and Road (B&R) initiative routes, a business representative said.

Domestic PV companies have become strong in terms of size, expertise and volume, and they are very quickly expanding to Southeast Asia and other parts of the world, said Andreas Liebheit, president of Shanghai-based Heraeus Photovoltaics.

"Non-Chinese PV companies seek higher efficiency and specialized technology and sometimes they can be very successful, but their volume is relatively small compared with Chinese companies," Liebheit told the Global Times on the sidelines of the 12th (2018) International Photovoltaic Power Generation and Smart Energy Exhibition and Conference held in Shanghai.

"I would say that the Chinese PV companies are dominating the global market," he noted.

China's newly installed PV capacity reached 53.06 gigawatts in 2017, up 53.62 percent on a yearly basis, according to data released by the National Energy Administration.

A driving factor behind the quick growth of China's solar industry is policies, Liebheit said, noting that the Chinese government's decisions, including reductions in carbon dioxide emissions and the promotion of electric cars, are heading in the right direction.

Liebheit noted that the international footprint of the Chinese solar sector maintains sound growth, and the domestic industry will be driven by opportunities and large growth potential in the B&R markets.

"India is a booming market, as is Turkey on the doorstep of Europe. We also have poorer countries that need electricity in remote areas. So there's a lot of potential.

"It doesn't mean that Chinese PV firms donate a lot of money to poor countries along the B&R routes. It's a win-win situation for China in terms of giving and lending money. This process stimulates renewable systems' development," he continued.

But there are some challenges for the development of the Chinese PV industry, such as finding a balance between cash flow and investing downstream, and also a balance between profit and investing in new technologies, according to Liebheit.

"We see the solar market as a whole growing between 20 to 30 percent every year globally. I think this will continue, but this year it is at a slower rate about 10 percent due to several reasons," he forecast.

Solar power is still cheapest in the United Arab Emirates, where the installation cost can be around 2 US cents per kilowatt hour, he said, adding that "in China today, we have 6 US cents per kilowatt hour."

China's solar power price is still a bit high, but there's plenty of potential to bring this down, Liebheit said.

 

[JSCh]

World’s first 3.4-megawatt modular tidal current power generator put into use
(People's Daily Online) 13:38, August 16, 2016

The hoisting work of a module of the generator.(Photo/zjol.com.cn)​

After being independently developed by China, the world's first 3.4-megawatt modular tidal current power generator has successfully generated electricity in the sea near Xiushan Island in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province on Aug. 15.

Ocean tidal current power is a widely recognized source of clean energy. Half of China's current tidal power resources are in Zhejiang province, and 96 percent of Zhejiang's tidal current power resources are in Zhoushan.

Currently, the world's biggest tidal current power station is a 1.2-megawatt project in the U.K., which began to operate in 2008. China's biggest tidal current power unit has a capacity of 0.3 megawatts.

On July 27, China's first 3.4-megawatt modular tidal current generator unit was successfully installed in the sea. So far, two of the seven modules of the generator have been put into use. The generator will be connected to the grid at the end of August. Its designed annual energy output is between 5 and 6 million kilowatt hours, which is capable of meeting the electricity demand of 2,000 to 3,000 households.

According to the design, the new generator can withstand up to a 16-grade typhoon and a 4-meter-high surge.

(Photo/wzsee.com)​

China's first tidal power unit connected to grid for one year
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-01 16:15:41|Editor: Li Xia


HANGZHOU, June 1 (Xinhua) -- China's first tidal power station has been connected to the grid for a year, the longest stable use of the renewable energy, according to the developer.

The 3.4 mega-watt generating unit built by Hangzhou Lin Dong Ocean Energy Technology Co. Ltd. in Zhoushan City, east China's Zhejiang Province, has sent over 800,000 kilowatt hours of electricity to the grid.

Lin Dong, chief engineer and chair of the company, said on Thursday that when all turbines of the generating unit are installed in November, it will have an annual power output of 6 million kilowatt hours, enough for supplying electricity for 3,000 households annually.

The previous record of tidal energy power generation was set in Britain with a four-month supply in 2015.

He said the company is aiming at building a 15 mega-watt or 20 mega-watt power unit that can break even the cost, making the sustainable energy feasible.

Lin is expecting foreign orders, with representatives from Canada and New Zealand interested.

 

[JSCh]

China's JinkoSolar signs deal with sPower of US
By Zheng Xin | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2018-06-06 13:48

Two women operate on a production line of a solar panel making company in Shangrao, Jiangxi province. [Photo/China Daily]

JinkoSolar Holding Co Ltd, the world's biggest solar panel producer by shipments, has signed a three-year agreement to supply 1.43gW of high efficiency modules to sPower, a US-based renewable energy independent power producer, on Tuesday.

"We have had a strong track record of success with JinkoSolar's high quality and reliable modules," said Ryan Creamer, CEO of sPower.

"We are confident of JinkoSolar's technology roadmap and cost leadership and we look forward to maintaining our strong partnership."

JinkoSolar has supplied over 800MW- about 2.5 million solar panels - for sPower's PV projects. The agreement includes significant down payments, which will help Jinko expand manufacturing capacity in the US and Asia.

Gener Miao, JinkoSolar vice-president of sales and marketing, said the company looks forward to working with sPower.

JinkoSolar has been investing heavily in advanced solar technologies, and these efforts have yielded major benefits, he said.

 

[JSCh]

1st shipment of wind turbine blades from China docks in Australia
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-07 11:23:11|Editor: Xiang Bo


SYDNEY, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The world's only large-scale hybrid power plant project in Australia's north, has received its first shipment of wind turbine blades from China this week.

At 70 meters high, the 36 blades onboard weighed approximately 3,500 tons and will now head to the massive Kennedy Energy Park site in Queensland State, which will feature 12 wind turbines as well as 55,000 solar panels and four megawatts of lithium Ion battery storage.

As Australia's third largest port, the Townsville dock usually only deals with commodities like zinc, lead, sugar, fertilizer and molasses, according to Scott Stewart, Queensland state parliament member for Townsville, the oversized cargo proved quite a challenge.

"The logistical coordination of such enormous cargo involves many parties, from the importer, shipping line, to stevedores and transport companies," he said on Wednesday. "It's an incredible team effort."

Developed by Australian-based firm Windlab and Japan's Eurus Energy Holdings Corporation, the 200-meter-high wind turbines were supplied by global energy operation Vestas with the engineering and construction component of the new facility to be carried out in partnership with burgeoning Aussie company Quanta Solar.

Expected to create around 110 jobs during construction, the 160-million-Australian dollar (122-million-U.S. dollar) project has the potential to supply more than 30,000 homes with power and decrease CO2 emissions by 185,000 tonnes per year.

The state-of-the-art energy facility is part of the Queensland Government's push to achieve 50 percent renewable energy supply by 2030.

"Queensland is experiencing a renewable energy boom, and its great to see our state owned ports playing a role," Queensland Transport and Roads Minister Mark Bailey said.

 

[TaiShang]

Domestic solar firms gain strength in global market with govt policy support

Shhhh... Do it, but do not say it.

Aussies and USers are very itchy, recently. Why cause further itchiness.

 

[JSCh]

Time to shine: China showcases mega solar farm the size of five Manhattans amid push for clean energy
By Ma Danning in Xining (People's Daily Online) 16:16, July 02, 2018

Standing on a 30-meter-tall glass tower with a 360-degree view, endless blue solar panels above wild grass give way to high hills that stretch into distance to blend with the gentle skyline. Elevated at different heights but all facing south, the panels glitter under the sun like soft ocean waves.

This is Gonghe Solar Park, spread over 298 square kilometers—a size equal to five Manhattans or all of Birmingham in the UK. A total of 42 Chinese solar companies have built a whopping 3,450MW installed capacity, which is capable of powering some 2.5 million households across a total of three provinces and two autonomous regions in northwest China namely, Qinghai, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces and Xinjiang and Ningxia autonomous regions, covering a third of Chinese territory.

The massive solar park includes an international research base for photovoltaic modules, which is hailed as the “solar industry’s encyclopedia,” according to Li Ju, who is in charge of maintenance operations at the Power Generation Department of Huanghe Hydropower Development Co. Ltd., the world’s largest solar energy developer also one of the solar giants at the park.

The base gathers samples of solar modules by mainstream makers from around the globe. Daily operations, weather conditions, and other aspects are collected and analyzed by the most authoritative German institute Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, which ranks the efficiency of each module.

“The results will guide the application and marketing of our solar equipment, improve efficiency while greatly lowering the cost of energy generation. This benefits China and even the world amid the push for solar innovation,” Li said.

For years, China has been at the forefront of global energy transition. A 2017 report by the International Energy Agency showed that China has a third of the world’s wind power, a fourth of the world’s solar capacity, six of the top 10 solar-panel manufacturers, and four of the top 10 wind-turbine makers.

Qinghai, as one of China’s six clean energy pilot provincial regions, provides world leaders with hope for a greater clean energy revolution.

As the origin of three of China’s seven biggest watercourses: Yellow River, Yangtze River, and Lancang River, the province is rich in hydropower resources. Endowed with ample sunshine on top of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (2,500 to 3,200 hours a year), the province makes up 11% of China’s solar energy potential. And the vast Gobi Desert enables colossal electricity facilities such as wind and solar farms to rise up.

By May, some 86% of the Qinghai’s 26,400MW total installed capacity came from clean energy. From June 20 to 28, Qinghai spent nine days (216 hours) supported by solely renewable energy, a clean energy challenge only atttempted by two countries in world, China and Portugal.

Qinghai also plans to expand its solar and wind capacity to 35 million KW by 2020, and supply 110 billion KWh of clean electricity annually to the central and eastern regions, reducing coal consumption by 50 million tonnes. Xie Xiaoping, chairman of Huanghe Hydropower, told People’s Daily in an exclusive interview on the sideline of Qinghai Investment & Trade Fair on June 26 in Xining, Qinghai, that his firm will play an active role in helping Qinghai reach its target.

Specifically, the world’s largest hydro-solar power station, the 850MW Longyangxia Project, is expected to add wind power into its green energy synergy, Li revealed. The project boasts an electric capacity of 1.45 billion kWh per year. Since solar panels can only produce power during the day and are affected by such inconsistencies as clouds, stored hydropower storage can be used at night and supplemented with solar power during the days as a guarantee for stability.

“The irreversible momentum of clean energy is sweeping the world. Chinese companies like us will hold onto our honorary mission as clean energy tech innovators and providers in order to ensure a better world,” Xie said.

​

 

[JSCh]

Milestone:First Chinese CSP Demonstration Project-CGN Delingha 50MW Parabolic Trough Plant Connected To The Grid.
Wu, catherine 2 days ago

Reported from CSPPLAZA：On the evening of 30th,June, China’s first commercial-scale CSP project, China Guangdong Nuclear Power Delingha 50MW parabolic trough CSP station was successfully connected to the grid,achieving the planned target of grid connection.

Until now, China’s power grid system has been connected with a new member. The first batch of China’s demonstration projects has also made its first milestone of the first CSP station to be connected to the network,making China officially become the eighth country in the world with large scale CSP station.

The EPC of solar Island is a Consortium of Beijing Shouhang IHW Resources Saving Technology Co., Ltd. & Nuclear Power Engineering Co., Ltd.of Power China; EPC of Heat island is Shandong Sunway Petrochemical Engineering Share Co., Ltd.；and EPC of the conventional island is Northwest Electric Power Design Institute Co.,Ltd. of Power China.

The project is the first CSP project supported by the ADB preferential loan,according to their requirement , the project takes Public bidding on the global scale，overseas companies like Idom\Aries\Ingeteam\Rioglass\ ABB has participated in this project.


Milestone:First Chinese CSP Demonstration Project-CGN Delingha 50MW Parabolic Trough Plant Connected To The Grid. – CSPPLAZA