China’s economic powerhouse plans more offshore wind power than world builds in a year
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Building out offshore wind is part of a larger push by Guangdong to secure energy supplies after a spate of recent power shortages.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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GUANGZHOU – China’s Guangdong province will accept bids in June to construct 23 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power
Guangdong’s planning agency has tendered for 7GW of projects in provincial waters and 16GW in national waters, industry publication Wind Power News Network reported on Thursday. The combined amount is more than the world has ever built in a year. Allocations will be granted in August.
The southern province is China’s most important economically, with a gross domestic product bigger than Australia. The local authorities are seeking to buttress its vast power needs with additional supply as extreme heat drives more air-conditioning demand while making the hydropower imports it relies on more erratic.
Winning bidders on the 7GW of provincial projects will be allowed to begin preliminary work once the projects are awarded. That means the earliest they will likely be ready to connect to the grid will be 2026, said BloombergNEF analyst Xiangyu Chen.
Winners of the 16GW in national waters will need to obtain approvals from other government agencies and draft project plans, according to Ms Chen. The 8GW of projects farthest along by the end of the year will be allowed to start work in early 2024.
Building out offshore wind is part of a larger push by Guangdong to secure energy supplies after a spate of recent power shortages. The province plans to add 13GW of coal-fired plants by 2025, as well as more gas-fired generators, renewables and energy storage projects. BLOOMBERG
