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Offshore wind power target elusive

2014-07-03 08:39 Shanghai Daily Web Editor: Qin Dexing
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China's offshore wind power sector is expected to see massive growth this year, but the country still has a long way to go if it is to achieve its 2015 target, industry watchers said.

Projects set to launch this year are expected to add 1,566 megawatts of capacity, or more than three times the national total as of the end of 2013, according to a report released yesterday by the Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association.

"The pricing scheme for offshore wind power unveiled last month provided a stimulus for the sector, but there are still challenges in terms of technology, management and policy if China is to achieve its 2015 goal," said Yi Yuechun, deputy chief engineer of the China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute.

Speaking at the Offshore Wind China Conference & Exhibition yesterday, Yi said the country's offshore wind sector is still in its infancy, with immature technologies in the areas of surveying, construction and installation.

Furthermore, inconsistent management standards among different maritime departments lead to extended project cycles, he said.

The country's offshore wind capacity was 428.6MW at the end of 2013, less than a tenth of the government's 5,000MW target for 2015.

In a bid to boost investment, the National Development and Reform Commission last month released a long-awaited pricing scheme for offshore wind power projects.

However, Wang Zhongying, deputy director of the Energy Research Institute under the NDRC, said he doubts it will lead to any radical changes.

"It's more urgent for the regulator to figure out an overall plan and related rules for ocean exploitation so that investors can better plan their projects," he said.

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