China Cementing Global Dominance of Renewable Energy and Technology

[scherz]

Wow that will result into a massive battery waste.

 

[onebyone]

The cutest solar farm ever is now live on the grid
YI SHU NG Jul 5, 2017

Who knew clean energy could be this cute?

China connected a panda-shaped solar power plant to the grid last week.

SEE ALSO: How clean energy is transforming the world, in 5 charts

The project was built by the aptly-named Panda Green Energy, and has an output of 50MW, enough to power more than 8,000 U.S. households, according to Inhabitat.

It's located in Datong, a city in the province of Shanxi, northern China.

Another panda is in the works on the site.

A bird's eye view of the completed project.
IMAGE:
PANDA GREEN ENERGY

Two types of solar panels -- white thin film photovoltaic (PV) cells and black monocrystalline silicon PV cells -- give the plant the look of China's favourite monochromatic animal.

It's hoped that when the plant is complete, it will have an output of 100MW, and output 3.2 billion kWh of solar energy in 25 years.

The power plant is part of a UN Development Program (UNDP) effort to promote clean energy to China's youth, and aims to teach young people about sustainable energy. It will host a summer camp organised by the UNDP and Panda Green Energy in August, for teenagers aged 13-17.

The UNDP is also organising open design challenges with Panda Green Energy.

"Designing the plant in the shape of a panda could inspire young people and get them interested in the applications of solar power," Panda Green Energy's CEO, Li Yuan, told state-owned Xinhua in May last year.

Artist's impression of a planned project in Fiji.
IMAGE:
PANDA GREEN ENERGY

Panda Green Energy is hoping to build panda-shaped power plants in other countries in central and Southeast Asia, too.

The company is planning to expand into countries like Fiji and the Philippines, and wants to build over 100 panda-shaped plants in the next five years. The plants will include motifs inspired by local animals, like the koala or rhinoceros.

"I believe that the panda solar power plants will become a tourist hotspot, and in future we'll export these panda power plants to other parts of the world," Li told Xinhua.

http://mashable.com/2017/07/05/panda-power.amp

 

[Dotachin]

It does look cute! Would be a pleasant surprise to the overflyers.

 

[Sliver]

watching these posts on PDF warms up the forum. thanks for the post @onebyone .

 

[cirr]

Wave energy device passes regulatory test for application

2017-07-11 08:53

Global Times Editor: Li Yan

China has made vital progress in developing wave energy devices which make it possible to generate electricity when the wave is less than half a meter high, laying the foundation for wave power generation in the future.

A wave energy device developed by the No.38 Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation has passed the acceptance test of the State Oceanic Administration of China, the Xinhua News Agency reported Monday.

The institute has made important progress in key technologies of the wave energy device such as wave power hydraulic transmission and device control.

Nearly three months' experiments on the sea proved that the device can generate electricity stably, said the Xinhua report.

The institute spent a total of three years to develop the device on South China's Hainan island. With the help of a comprehensive intelligent control technology, the team enhanced the effect of energy absorption and developed a new stabilization technology to accomplish an effective conversion from ocean wave energy to kilovolt-level power.

Wang Zhenshou, director of the device development project, told Xinhua that the floaters of the device could float on the water on normal days and be curled to the shore when a storm came, noting that installed capacity of the device is 5 kilowatts, which is expandable.

According to a 2012 report on China's oceanic renewable energy, the reserve of China's coastal waters is equivalent to about 1.7 billion kilowatts and 600 million kilowatts of that is technically convertible.

There is a huge potential for wave power to become a key source of clean and renewable energy in the future.

China established a special fund for renewable ocean energy in May 2010. The fund has invested about 1 billion yuan ($147 million) in supporting 96 programs so far.

http://www.ecns.cn/2017/07-11/264823.shtml

 

[cirr]

China to test underwater gliders, submersible in latest expedition

2017-07-11 08:18

Xinhua Editor: Mo Hong'e

Chinese scientists will begin testing the country's self-developed underwater gliders and autonomous unmanned submersible in yet another maritime scientific expedition.

The equipment -- 12 gliders, one submersible, and a Raman spectrometer -- was loaded on the research vessel "Kexue" (Science), which left Qingdao in east Shandong Province Monday.

The program's lead scientist Sun Song said such devices demonstrate China's strong maritime research capability.

Sun said scientists would use the equipment in research of deep-water cold seeps in the South China Sea.

Cold seeps are located at the sea floor where hydrocarbon-rich fluid seepage occurs. Sun said the whole ecosystems at the cold seeps, where sunlight can not reach, is supported by hydrocarbons.

A deeper research into the cold seeps may reveal the secrets of the evolution of life on Earth, which could trace to the earliest ecosystems formed by microorganisms, Sun said.

From the South China Sea, the research ship will sail to Yap Trench for marine organism and ecology survey. It is scheduled to return to Qingdao in late September.

http://www.ecns.cn/2017/07-11/264810.shtml

 

[ashok321]

What an innovative idea coupled with clever principles.
Against the Indian run-of-the-mill, generic & dime a dozen solar farms.

 

[JSCh]

China's Biggest Wind-Turbine Maker Expands in Philippines, Australia
Bloomberg News
July 12, 2017, 1:02 AM EDT

• Goldwind inks 132MW turbine supply deal in Philippines
• Co. agrees to buy planned 530MW wind farm in Australia

Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co., China’s biggest wind-turbine maker, is expanding its footprint abroad with new deals in the Philippines and Australia.

During the second quarter, Goldwind and Shanghai Electric Power Design Institute Co. signed a turbine supply agreement for the 132-megawatt Pasuquin wind farm in the Philippines, the first deal for a Chinese turbine maker in the market, unit Goldwind International Holdings (HK) Ltd. said in an emailed report.

Goldwind in May agreed to buy the Stockyard Hill wind farm in Australia’s Victoria state from Origin Energy Ltd. The project has planned capacity of 530 megawatts.

The deals come as turbine orders in China fall as growth slows. Goldwind International said it has signed contracts for almost 2 gigawatts outside China as of the end of June.

Last month, Goldwind reached an in-principal agreement with Aurora Energy Pty to build a 144-megawatt wind farm at Cattle Hill in Tasmania’s Central Highlands, according to the report.

Goldwind also presented its new 3-megawatt platform to its key clients in Africa in May, the unit said.

— With assistance by Feifei Shen


China's Biggest Wind-Turbine Maker Expands in Philippines, Australia - Bloomberg

 

[JSCh]

China's panda-shaped solar plant begins trial operation
By Fan Yixin
2017-07-28 22:28 GMT+8

A solar power station shaped like a giant panda started its trial operation on Friday in Datong City in North China’s Shanxi Province.

The station was completed at the end of July. It’s the first panda-shaped solar plant in the world.

An aerial view shows an image of two panda cubs. /CGTN Photo​

It is scheduled to be fully operational by August 10. An aerial view shows an image of two panda cubs. More details will be added, including grass to make the picture more vivid and an image of a pair of pandas will complete the family.

Grass needs to be added to complete the whole picture. /CGTN Photo​

The Panda Green Energy Group began construction of the solar power station in 2016 by collaborating with the United Nations Development Program, in a bid to promote the use of green energy. Its capacity will reach 100MW and can produce energy equivalent to more than million tons of coal, reducing CO2 emissions and cutting other emissions by 500,000 tons over the course of the next 25 years.

An image of two pandas will be built to complete the panda family. /CGTN Photo​

The station was built with black and off-white photo-voltaic panels, making it look like pandas from above. What’s more interesting is that the movement of the sun will make the pandas smile. The idea came from a 17-year-old overseas Chinese student, who hoped that it would appeal to people to protect the environment by using green energy.

The city of Datong has an abundant amount of sunshine all year long. /CGTN Photo​

The establishment of the panda solar power station in Datong is just a starting point. The Panda Green Energy Group has a global plan to build around 100 similar plants in countries and regions along the Belt and Road Initiative's coverage.

 

[JSCh]

China starts work on world's second-largest hydropower station
CGTN
Published on Aug 3, 2017

China started construction on the Baihetan project on Thursday. It will be the world's second-largest hydropower station once completed. The power station is located on the lower reach of the Jinsha River.The Baihetan project is currently the largest power station under construction.

 

[JSCh]

CGN starts work on Welsh wind farm
By Cecily Liu in London | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2017-08-03 00:00

China General Nuclear's renewable energy unit announced on Wednesday it has started building the Brenig onshore wind farm in Wales. It is carrying out the work in partnership with Britain's Jones Bros Civil Engineering.

The 16-turbine project is due to be completed in 2018. It will have the capacity to generate up to 37.6 megawatts of power and could potentially power 25,000 households.

Lu Wei, general manager of CGN European Energy Company, said Brenig is significant because it is the first time the company has led the construction of a wind power project.

Lu said the area's geography and its high-quality wind source meant the project attracted bids from many leading energy suppliers. CGN's ability to secure the project was a good reflection of the company's capabilities, Lu said.

Incorporated in 2014 in France, CGN European Energy Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of CGN, which is an investor in the United Kingdom's nuclear power sector. CGN European Energy Company focuses on investment, construction, operation, and management related to wind and solar power generation.

Since its establishment, CGN European Energy Company has taken on energy projects in the UK, France, Belgium and Ireland. The company says it is the seventh-largest new energy operator in Europe.

The Brenig wind farm should take between 12 and 15 months to construct. So far, it has created 6.4 million pounds ($8.46 million) of contracts for local companies, and Lu said he expects the project will stimulate the UK economy even more and continue to create jobs after the end of construction.

CGN European Energy Company also brought in the UK's Natural Power as a partner on the project. Natural Power will provide technical support in the construction process.

Lu said CGN European Energy Company investment into new energy has already exceeded 1 billion euros ($1.18 billion). He added that the company is looking to invest in projects in the area covered by the Belt and Road Initiative.

 

[JSCh]

China Activates World’s Largest Floating Solar Power Plant
May 26th, 2017 by Steve Hanley

View attachment 400458

The largest floating solar power plant in the world is officially in operation. Located in the city of Huainan in the Anhui province in China, the system has a power output capacity of 40 megawatts, which isn’t huge by today’s standards, but was just a decade ago.

Floating solar farms have several advantages, not the least of which is they don’t use up valuable land in densely populated areas. China has over 100 cities with populations of more than 1 million. The US, by comparison, has 10.

The panels help to conserve precious freshwater supplies by lowering the amount of evaporation into the surrounding atmosphere. In return, the water keeps ambient temperatures around the solar panels lower, which helps boost their efficiency and limit long-term heat-induced degradation.

The most interesting thing about the floating solar power plant in Huainan, however, is that the lake supporting it was created by rain after the surrounding land collapsed in a process known as subsidence following intensive coal mining operations over a period of years. Anhui province is rich in coal reserves and has been the source of much of the coal used to power the Chinese economy.

“Sungrow supplied the plant’s central inverter unit, which transforms direct current from the solar panels into an alternating current for delivery to the local power grid,” I Drop News reports. “The manufacturer also supplied a customized combiner box that aggregates power from multiple solar panel arrays and sends it to the central inverter. The combiner box has been specifically designed for floating PV plants and can operate in environments with high humidity and salt spray."​

Unlike the US, where government policies are shifting to support more coal mining and coal-burning power plants, China is committed to leaving its coal-powered past behind and keep becoming a global leader in renewable energy. It has pledged to invest hundreds of billions of dollars into solar power as well as wind and hydro by the year 2020.

Last year, a 20 megawatt floating solar power plant also came online in Anhui province. This past January, China activated the massive Longyangxia Dam Solar Park. Covering 10 square miles, it generates a whopping 850 megawatts of power — enough for 200,000 households.

In its quest to become a world leader in renewable energy, China is putting its money where its mouth is. By the time America figures out that it has been thrown under the bus by Donald Trump on energy, it will have ceded its global leadership in the area to China and will struggle to be anything other than a follower in the future as China reaps the financial rewards of its leadership.

https://cleantechnica.com/2017/05/26/china-activates-worlds-largest-floating-solar-power-plant/

World's largest floating solar farm starts operating
By Guo Kai | chinadaily.com.cn | 2017-08-15 11:22

A floating solar farm on a coal mining subsidence area in Panji district of Huainan, Anhui province, on June 7, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

A gigantic 40-megawatt floating solar farm has started generating power in Huainan, a coal-rich city in East China's Anhui province. The farm could power about 15,000 homes a year.

More than 120,000 photovoltaic panels were installed on floats covering around 86 hectares on the water surface of a coal mining subsidence area, according to the company running the project, a branch of the Sungrow Power Supply Co Ltd.

Xiao Fuqin, deputy general manager of the branch, said that the floats are 200 to 300 meters away from the bank on the subsidence area that is 400 hectares, to ensure the decreasing water does not impact the farm.

"On the surface, the floats just stay on the water, and the truth is that more than 1,000 reinforced concrete piles are installed on the bed, keeping the floats in order," Xiao said.

The farm has a life of 25 years, and that demands the facilities must be designed to resist the aging factors, such as the heat, salt and humidity that comes from being on the water.

A floating solar farm has advantages of not taking up scarce land resources compared with a conventional solar farm, protecting the environment and benefiting the local development.

Drones patrol the floating solar farm, said Xiao. "The drones are the patrollers, and they will first arrive at the scene to supervise and take photos."

​

Workers are installing panels at a floating solar farm in Panji district of Huainan, Anhui province, on June 7, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

A floating solar farm on a coal mining subsidence area in Panji district of Huainan, Anhui province, on June 7, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

 

[JSCh]

China's Gree Showcases Its Local Energy Internet System, G-IEMS at IFA Berlin

Gree Electric Appliances Inc. of Zhuhai
Sep 01, 2017, 13:53 ET

BERLIN, Sept. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 1, Gree Electric initiated a global launch of G-IEMS Local Energy Internet System at IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin), the Consumer Electronics Show in Berlin. This complete ecosystem integrates electricity generation, storage, transformation and efficient energy use with real-time energy management, centralized energy information administration and lightweight interaction. It will shift the global energy industry towards a future with clean energy and smart solutions, and build a new world of network energy.

"The success of Gree's G-IEMS is critical to the world's energy conservation and it will bring the undertakings to a new level," noted Prof. Leo Lorenz, an Academician of the German Academy of Science and a member of the Nobel Committee, at the conference.

The G-IEMS developed by Gree makes solar energy utilization and its power allocation possible and even better by the integrated management of systems of photovoltaic power generation and storage, along with electrical grids and electric equipments. It greets China's energy reform policies including peak load shifting and the conversion to cleaner energy, and provides for users easier access to clean, safe, reliable and efficient energy.

With G-IEMS, a beautiful vision for the future city is outlined -- a solar-powered city based on the G-IEMS, enables every household to enjoy solar power systems and store energy for their own use but at the same time connect their homes to grids. In this way, individuals can use the power generated by the systems while selling the remaining stock to the country. It's said that solar power systems help to solve the problem of energy crisis, in which promises of power storage and transformation are fulfilled. Also, solar air conditioning and DC appliances can enrich the family of electrical equipments to meet electricity demand. In the future, electrical grids can provide more channels for power transmission, where users will also be producers and thus centralized electricity generation can be reduced.

For now, Gree's G-IEMS can provide solutions on power generation, storage, utilization and management for households, factories, communities and parks. The G-HIEMS, a household-level energy Internet system, has made breakthroughs in multiport commutation technologies and succeeded in making the energy consumption transparent, safe and efficient. The pressure of public power grids can be therefore deducted by the self-generation, self-consumption and nearby use of distributed energy. As for the G-FIEMS, a factory-level energy Internet system, it has adopted peak load shifting and relieved the stress on the national electricity supply by the connection to grids and real-time power distribution according to official dispatch instructions.

The fruits of Gree's G-IEMS will push forward the world's energy conservation and build a new world of network energy for households, factories, communities, parks and cities.


http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...et-system-g-iems-at-ifa-berlin-300513100.html

 

[JSCh]

Tuesday, September 05, 2017, 15:31
CGN launches offshore wind power project
Tuesday, September 05, 2017, 15:31 By Chen Meiling

A wind farm invested in by CGN Group operates in Anxi county, Fujian province. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Chinese new energy giant China General Nuclear Power Corporation, also known as CGN, launched its biggest offshore wind power project in Pingtan, Fujian province, this year, expecting to generate about 969 million kilowatt hours a year after it is completed in 2019.

The project involves 60 offshore wind turbines and one overland transformer substation, said Ren Yanzhong, deputy general manager of CGN Pingtan Offshore Wind Power Generation.

Once put into operation, the power generated will save about 311,000 metric tons of coal a year, he said.

Since 2007, State-owned CGN has expanded its wind power business across 29 provinces and regions.

The Pingtan project will cost 6.1 billion yuan (US$930 million), its most expensive investment, according to Ren.

He said Pingtan's Dalian island, where the turbines are being constructed, is probably the ideal place to develop such an industry due to geographical factors.

"It is like a slit between islands where the wind speed accelerates," he said. "The devices in the sea can collect strong wind power easily."

"Since wind is not controllable, we can reserve the turbines when the wind falls and put them into use when needed."

The monsoon climate and broad space with no mountains or plants, also contribute to its strength, he added.

CGN has three wind power stations in operation or under construction in Fujian. It expects to launch another two this year in Zhenghe and Pingnan counties.

"Fujian has rich wind resources," he said. "We should make the most of it, although the heavy storm waves and frequent typhoons could cause some trouble from time to time."

Ren said offshore wind power will become a future trend, not only because wind is a completely clean energy but also because offshore construction saves land space.

CGN Group is building a wind farm in Nan'an, Fujian. The farm will comprise 22 turbines and is scheduled to begin operations at the end of November. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

The distance between each device is more than 300 meters, to guarantee the project will not affect the local fishing industry, Ren said.

The scenery of white windmills standing on the sea and beach has attracted many tourists, he said.

Zhang Zhaoming, Party chief of Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone, said the zone expects to launch five offshore power wind projects with a gross investment of up to 2.3 billion yuan.

It will develop a complete supply chain on its base, including scientific research, manufacturing, engineering, maintenance, training and services, he said.

Ren said the local government has created a good business environment with standardized services and open minds.

"I can see a healthy industrial model is forming in this place," he said.

"The preferential polices are also appealing," he added.

Related polices also involve accommodation and export rebates, he added.

In December 2016, the New Development Bank provided loans worth up to 2 billion yuan for the second phase of the wind power project in Pinghai Bay in Putian, Fujian province.

The bank, founded by the five BRICS countries in 2014, aims to promote infrastructure construction and sustainable development in emerging and developing countries.

The green energy project in Fujian is the second in China to be financed by the bank.

"As an international multilateral financial institution, the bank provides low loan interest rates and long repayment periods," said Peng Jinguang, general manager of Fujian Investment and Development Group.

"We have faith in seizing this opportunity to make Fujian a leading engine for the domestic offshore wind power industry," he said.

 

[JSCh]

UK-China projects to develop next generation of offshore renewable energy technologies
Issue date: 07 September 2017

Researchers from the UK and China will collaborate on five projects to develop the next generation of offshore renewable energy (ORE) technologies to enable the safe, secure, cheap and efficient provision of clean energy.

The collaborative, multidisciplinary three-year-long projects will use environmental science, technology and engineering to tackle key challenges affecting the development of ORE systems, such as offshore wind, wave and tide facilities, and maximise their environmental and socio-economic benefits. The projects will determine where the best energy resource is available and where would be best to implement ORE technologies, and inform the development of technology so that structures are resilient to extreme events such as typhoons and earthquakes.

The latest data published by the government in 2017 showed that a record 47 per cent of the UK's electricity was generated by clean energy sources in 2016. Overall, renewable sources - which include onshore and offshore wind, solar farms, hydroelectric dams and biomass - accounted for 25 per cent of the UK's electricity generation.

In addition, the projects will:

• showcase the potential of ORE technologies to provide stable power supply for island and coastal communities, particularly in China, but also in UK offshore island communities
• improve understanding of resources for ORE systems under different conditions between UK and China, all of which will move both countries closer towards a low carbon economy
• help to understand and reduce the risk of extreme events and encourage sustainable development of ORE systems, which could kick-start floating design methods and assess suitability of current standards and methods
• help to reduce the uncertainty in resource and the potential power produced, while identifying and informing ORE system build sites. This research could underpin other aspects of ORE development, both engineering and policy

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) are supporting the projects with almost £4 million of funding, which will be distributed from the Newton Fund. The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) is providing support for all of the projects. The projects have been funded as part of the Joint UK-China Offshore Renewable Energy programme.

Richard Harrington, Minister for Energy and Industry, said: The UK is a world leader in offshore wind which helps us meet our climate commitments while we grow the economy and create jobs.

This £4 million investment will support collaborative research into the next generation of offshore technologies with one of our largest global trading partners, unlocking further opportunities for projects across the UK and the rest of the world.

EPSRC's Chief Executive, Professor Philip Nelson, said: The Joint UK-China Offshore Renewable Energy programme will build on a successful history of international collaboration between EPSRC and NERC in the UK, and the NSFC in China, across a range of topics.

This multidisciplinary programme has already delivered invaluable research on reducing energy demand at the city scale, the integration of electric vehicles and grid scale energy storage. These new projects bring together some of the leading minds in this field from the UK and China to increase our capacity to generate and distribute affordable, safe, clean energy.

NERC's Chief Executive, Professor Duncan Wingham, said: This research will develop the potential of offshore renewable energy technologies, integrating environmental science to provide a better understanding of the energy resources, the sustainable development of ORE systems and where best to locate and deploy these systems to ensure a stable power supply with minimal environmental impact.

NSFC President, Yang Wei, said: Further advancing China's already world-leading renewable energy sector is an integral part of the country's 13th Five-Year Plan and will help drive future economic growth and advance the cause of low-carbon development. As always, partnership with the UK in this field helps build upon both sides' complementary strengths in research and innovation and will definitely further strengthen our already productive bilateral relationship in the long run.

NSFC's Deputy-Director General of the Department of Engineering and Material Science, Professor Che Chengwei, said: In the long run, it is vital to develop high-efficiency clean energy for a sustainable society. We are delighted to see the ongoing development of UK-China research collaborations, and believe these newly-funded projects lead to positive outcomes that will further strengthen bilateral cooperation.

The projects will ultimately promote economic development in China by bringing down the cost of energy, understanding the environmental processes that can lead to climate change as well as addressing the population welfare issues associated with reliance on fossil fuels.

Summaries of the projects:

Continue--> UK-China projects to develop next generation of offshore renewable energy technologies - EPSRC website