This week: China - CEPRI and GL Garrad Hassan join together to bolster China’s wind energy industry

The Renewable Energy Department of the China Electric Power Research Institute (CEPRI RED) and GL Garrad Hassan have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation in Wind Turbine Prototype Measurements, Wind Turbine Inspections and Technical Guideline Development. CEPRI, a subsidiary of the State Grid Corporation of China, is a multi disciplinary research institute focused on China’s electric sector, and GL Garrad Hassan is part of the GL Group’s renewables business segment.

“This is the logical consequence out of our long lasting and fruitful business relationship with CEPRI RED and through our concerted efforts we expect to help Chinese wind turbine manufacturers strengthen their competitiveness in the global market,” said Mathias Steck, Senior Vice President and Regional Manager Asia Pacific, GL Garrad Hassan.

CEPRI RED and GL Garrad Hassan will cooperate to offer prototype tests for wind turbines. This involves a number of evaluations, including power performance tests, load measurement, acoustic noise measurement, power quality measurement, and LVRT (low voltage ride through) testing. “The combined expertise of two recognized organizations will put Chinese wind turbine manufacturers in a better position to be able to optimize their products to the international standards and this will boost customer confidence,” said Mr. Steck.

Under a strategic cooperation mechanism, both parties will also cooperate on such activities as the development of industry and national standards, information exchange, and safety-related training. The MOU was signed during a seminar on personal safety and operational safety of wind turbines held this June in Beijing, co-organized by CEPRI RED and GL Garrad Hassan as part of the Sino-German Wind Power Research & Training Project.

CEPRI RED and GL Garrad Hassan have a long established history of cooperation. In 2007, GL Garrad Hassan conducted a training course for CEPRI executives on the execution of power-quality measurements, also as part of the Sino-German technical cooperation project. Since then, several joint projects have been undertaken.

Established in 1951, China Electric Power Research Institute (CEPRI) is a multi-disciplinary and comprehensive research institution in China’s electric power sector as well as a subsidiary research institute of the State Grid Corporation of China. CEPRI is active in a broad variety of research areas relevant to electric science and business, including power generation, transmission and distribution, power supply and utilization, electric project design, construction, commissioning, operation, monitoring and maintenance and renewable energy, new materials, energy conversion, information and communalisation technology, etc. CEPRI’S Renewable Energy Department (CEPRI RED) is an independent wind turbine test laboratory and especially engaged in research including the key technologies of renewable energy on grid integration.