China - Wind energy more than doubled

New figures from the Research and Markets group has shown the extent of China's wind power boom. In 2006, newly-increased installed capacity of wind power in China was 1,337 MW, accounting for 8.9 percent of worlds total newly-installed wind power, up by 165.83 percent from the previous year. The total installed capacity of wind power in China by 2006 accumulated to 2,604 MW, accounting for 3.5 percent of global total, up by 105.29 percent.

Research and Markets expects improved technologies and increased output results to bring down wind power cost to a nickel per kWh. Wind power cost is expected to further reduce by 30 percent by 2010, which will bring it close to the cost of energy derived from traditional means.

Overseas manufacturers have advantages in China's wind turbine market, and they shared 55.1 percent of newly-installed capacity and 65.92 percent of total installed capacity of China in 2006. Vestas, Gamesa and GEWind are the top three companies responsible for 18.73 percent, 18.63 percent and 10.74 percent of total installed capacity of China, respectively.

Currently, China's domestic-funded wind turbine manufacturers include mainly Goldwind, Sinovel, Windey, Dongfang Steam Turbine and HEC, of which Goldwind is dominant with a market share in 2006 reaching 80.81 percent and newly-increased installed capacity accounting for 33.29 percent of total newly-installed wind power. By the end of 2006, the market share of Goldwind accumulated to 83.36 percent among China's domestic-funded wind turbine manufacturers and installed capacity accounted for 25.68 percent.