Beijing is looking into tapping wind power sources to use for heating, as part of its efforts of combatting air pollution. (Photo : Reuters)
China will soon overtake the United States as the leading wind energy producer in the world by 2016, an alternative energy expert says.
Pranav Srivastava, an analyst for GlobalData, has expressed belief that China will surpass the U.S. in wind power generation by next year. In his article for AltEnergyMag.com, he wrote that China's cumulative wind power increased from 402 megawatts in 2011 to 110 gigawatts (GW) in 2014.
To determine the extent of wind power generated by one producer country, installed capacity must be measured, Srivastava added.
In 2014, China has accumulated installed capacity of 110 gigawatts, almost half of what the U.S. has generated at about 66 GW.
The GlobalData analyst also disagreed with other experts who said that China's low wind power production was simply caused by the slow wind speed and the lack of grid infrastructure.
Srivastava disputed this by saying that China's installations are more stable compared to those of the United States that depend greatly on government incentives and support, which are sometimes unreliable. He said that this is further supported by the fact that China has added nearly 18 GW in 2014, compared to the 4.9 GW of the U.S.
Srivastava said that this has resulted in China producing nearly 169 terawatt-hour (TWh) of electrical power from wind sources in 2014, while the U.S. generated a meager 175 TWh.
He added that this figure clearly indicates that China has the potential to become a leader in wind power generation in the years to come, beating other global competitors such as the U.S. in alternative power generation.
