china and wind power turbines

Chinese wind power scenario

The rise of Chinese wind  turbine manufacturers and their wind power capacities reason being U.S. financial situation have changed the balance of market.

Yet another second year for nearly installed capacity- to the tune of 39.4 GW-the year brought total wind power installed capacity around 200,000 MW. The past five years annual installed capacity has grown by annual average 27.4 percent. Vesta's is still the worlds wind top turbine in terms of percentage of market volume. But Si-novel Chinese manufacturer over taken GE Energy.

Sinovel took full advantage of the boom in Chinese market, enabling it to move from third position to 2009 to second position in 2010.  In their home wind power market Chinese domestic turbine manufacturers made further gains, while foreign owned manufacturers only achieved 10.5 percent  market share in 2010.

Along with Sinovel and Gold wind, two other Chinese manufacturers were listed in this year top 10 in terms of global capacity delivered. Dong Fong, the third largest Chinese manufacturer first entered the top 10 list in 2009 and United Power entered for first time in 2010.

Meanwhile other Chinese companies Ming Yang, Se-wind  and Hara XE-ME listed as no. 11, no.14 and no.15 in world respectively are emerging to challenge positions of traditional market leaders from Europe and U.S.

It is worth noting that in 2010 also saw more MW rated manufacturers turbine exported. During the year five Chinese turbines suppliers install 13 machines in five different foreign markets. Following its first three 1.5 MW direct drive wind turbines installed in U.S. in 2009, Gold wind installed six units of 750 KW rated gear drive turbine in Cuba. Meanwhile , Ming Yang and A-Power installed their first wind turbines in U.S. market in 2010 and Heag also installed three 1.5 MW turbines in Chile and White Russia .

The following are brief descriptions of major Chinese wind turbine manufacturers.

Sinovel ( 4386)

Sinovel has performed well over the last three years. The Chinese company entered in top 10 list in 2007 and became the second larger in the world in 2010. It is increased nearly two percent of its global market share in 2010. This year also saw Sinovel connecting 34 of its 3 MW off shore turbines to grid in Shanghai, china  which is the first projects of this  kind in Asia.

Gold Wind ( 3740 MW)

The pioneer in Chinese wind market installed 3740 MW in year 2010. Its global market share increased 7.2 percent in 2009 to 9.5 percent a figure which represents one of best performances  among top 10 turbine suppliers in 2010.

Dong Fang ( 2624 MW)

Dong Fang, the third largest Chinese manufacturer and world no.7 Installed 2624 MW wind turbines in its home land during 2010. The company entered top list for first time in 2009 and maintained its global market share in 2010.

United Power ( 1600 MW)

United power was established in 2007 by China Guodian  Corporation, one of China’s big five state owned utilities. The company listed as world’s no.12 in 2009, installed more than 1600 MW in China in 2010 making it one of the top 10 players for the first time.

China made the greatest contribution in 2010 and important to note that 48 percent of world’s installation over the year took place in the country. Vestas wind systems and GE energy are still two large manufacturers of wind turbines in the world and now together 24.4 percent of global market. However their leading position challenged by leading Chinese turbine supplier in 2010. Si-novel has already replaced GE energy as worlds second largest turbine supplier and form other Chinese supply companies in top 10 list together account for a total of 31.2 percent of global market share.

The off shore wind sector was expanded with a total capacity of 1444 MW installed in 2010, which represents a 109 percent annual increase. Nine new off shore wind forms, with combined power generating capacity of 1405 MW were installed in Europe, especially in U.K.. The reminder of new off shore capacity was in China where Si-novel installed first off shore wind project in Shanghai in 2010. Although the off shore installation in 2010 represented only 3.7 percent of global total many projects are over pipeline over next couple of years, particularly in U.K. and Germany, China and South Korea are also expected to emerge as significant market for off shore wind.

Asia experienced significant growth, including the OECD Pacific region which increased its cumulative capacity from 42037 MW in 2009 to 63,645 MW in 2010 a growth of 51.4 percent. China was by far and away the leading country, with 18,928 MW new capacity in 2010 . India also saw an increase to see 2139 MW of new installation . The region as a whole accounted for 54.8 percent of year’s  global total.

Among the top 10 markets, China kept its position  as largest in 2010, followed by U.S.

Penetration of wind power in world electricity supply was reached 1.92 percent the proportion expected to be produced in 2011.

Technology trends -direct  drive

Another interesting  change in wind industry is supply of direct drive wind turbines. Until recently this was the sole preserve of German company Enercon,but large part of new installation  in China have come from direct drive turbines most significantly from Gold Wind and Hara XEMC. In total direct drive turbines by these companies in 2010 accounted for 16.8 percent recorded global supply, a 2.9 increase from 2009.

development of carbon capture and storage plant by Mitsubishi heavy industries

 Development of CCS ( carbon capture and storage ) technology  by   Mitsubishi heavy industries( MHI) .

We expect some major high lights in the CCS technology in world this year. In  MHI especially key technology development may happen for  CCS development.

In Southern Company- MHI 500 tonnes per day CCS demonstration plant is due for start up at plant at Barry power station in Alabama in June 2011, which also includes the storage of CO2 in a deep saline formation. MHI expects a very positive impact from successful operation of this project. With Southern company will look into market  and promote this project with opportunities for external stake holders to get involved with regards to information / knowledge sharing, site visit etc.

.  On going MHI R&D programs and patent development in relation to CO2 capture to further reduce costs and
. Start up of MHI ninth commercial CO2 capture plant  first in Pakistan  expected Q2 2011.

For CCS major developments during 2011 and perspective

There were notable developments in 2010. Certainly CCS acceptance under the clean development mechanism at last UNFCCC COP meeting is an important development to incentive  CCS. MHI  also believes that CO2 EOR  will be promising as an initial commercial CCS project mover in certain oil producing nations and MHI is  correctly in discussion with various project developers in regard to their application. The development of CCS related legislation in some nation is also encouraging.

The major break thorough in broader CCS technology world wide over past one year.

MHI has made some significant in roads in the  CO2 capture world over past years in several areas including coal fired flue gas testing, the development of new energy process for CO2 capture and deployment of commercial capture plants.

The successful completion of high impurities coal fired flue gas testing at a 10 times per day demonstration plant in Japan and led to specific technical know-how concerning impact of coal fired flue gas impurities and adoption and deployment of counter measures for some of these items. This know -how has been applied to the Southern company MHI 500 tonnes per day CCS demonstration plant due for start at plant Barry power station in Alabama in June 2011. The plant will demonstrate end to end CCS from coal fired power station with opportunities to participate in knowledge gains for external parties.

MHI recently achieved significant process improvements  which can reduce the energy requirements of CO2 capture and regeneration to 603 Kcal/kg Cog 2 ( 2.53 MJ/KG-CO2 using KS-1 solvent and 583 Kcals/kg- CO2 ( 2.44 MJ/KG- CO2 for a new solvent recently tested at Nanko pilot plant. These advancements help to further reduce the overall operating costs and were presented at GHG-10 conference in Amsterdam September 2010.

The last year or so was also busy on CO2 capture plant commercial deployment front. Four new commercial capture plants featuring MHI technology commercial operation in chemical and fertilizer plant industry throughout 2009-2010. These include plants ( up to 450 tonnes per day scale) in India, Vietnam , Bahrain
And Abudhabi.

MHI  has  contracted two additional commercial CO2  capture plants due for start up in 2011( Pakistan ) and 2012 ( India ) and respective learning’s from long term operation experience gained from these plants is applied to large scale CO2 capture plant design. Al together MHI now has eight commercial CO2  capture plants in operation and further two under construction not including the U.S. 500 tonnes per day CCS demonstration plant which is soon start up.

The major regions of activity were those with existing or future  commercial opportunities, these with developing legislation and or government backed CCS demonstration initiatives. Broadly speaking they can be defined as CO2- EOR in the middle east, large scale CCS demonstration  in Europe, Australia and North America, and commercial CO2 capture plants in chemical/ fertilizer industry in Middle East  and Asia.

However CCS demonstration is not encouraging due to that  MHI feel  the deployment timing was slipped and their view several recent projects delays and cancellation and likely due to following reasons.

. Finding short fall or lack of other projects developments incentives for developers.
. Technology immaturity ( some technology suppliers don’t have appropriate levels of development or experience to successfully deploy projects which leads large risks which are not absorbed by project developers.
. Public acceptance ( we  need more work to demonstrate to the public that CCS can be deployed safely and
. Regulatory / economic- COP15 result was discouraging for global action on climate change. In addition continued uncertainty regarding pricing carbon many countries negatively impacting spending in this area . In parallel , the fallout following the global financial crises - and other regional economic concern-has negatively affected government capital spending grants and clean energy policy in many countries. This one reason Mitsubishi   heavy industries is developing a 500 tonnes per day CCS demonstration project in U.S. independent government funding- need to get successful project up and running as quickly as possible because the lessons learned will help reduce costs ensure viability and lead public acceptance of CCS technology.

nuclear power plant with Canada colloboration

Nuclear power  station  in India with Canada  collaboration

Canada and India will undertake a joint study of cost of building nuclear power station in India of Canadian design, it was announced in New Delhi on August  5 , THE HINDU news paper reported. Following decision in Canada and India between the authorities concerned during last nine months, in course of which it was agreed that the proposal seemed active enough to merit closer study, a formal request was made by government of India that such a joint study be undertaken . The federal government of Canada has authorized Atomic Energy of Canada ltd, to carry out the study with Indian Atomic Energy Commission. The plant would be similar to the Douglas power station now under construction in Ontario on the eastern shore of lake Huron . The Douglas plant which is to have an electrical out put 200,000 Kilowatts when it goes into operation ,which will use natural uranium for fuel and heavy water as moderator. 

The Indian power plant would be as nearly identical as possible to Douglas station, but some modifications will be required to adopt it to climatic and geographical conditions in India. The planning commission has authorized the department of Atomic Energy for nuclear power plant in general area of Punjab-Delhi-Rajasthan -UP. The study will determine the overall cost of building Canadian type power plant in India.  

india's nuclaer reactor can withstand tsunamis

India’s  nuclear reactors can withstand  tsunamis

A nuclear safety review has concluded that India nuclear plants will be able to withstand “ extreme natural events “  like tsunamis , cyclones, floods and dam breaks.

The government informed parliament that after the Fukushima nuclear crisis in Japan, nuclear power corporation of India ( NPCIL) had set up six task forces to review safety features in India nuclear power plants.

“ These task forces have revisited the safety of all nuclear power plants in India and found that India nuclear reactors have sufficient margins and safety features in the design to with stand high intensity earth quake and tsunami “ government said. The two reactors of 1000 MW capacity that are under construction in nuclear power plant Kundankulam  in Tamilnadu are being built higher height that to sea level to ensure no threat from tsunami.

The task force  made some recommendations which government said would be implemented  as soon as possible. Among  the recommendation  were that nuclear reactor will shut down automatically on sensing seismic activity and additional sources of power will be set up, including hook-up through external sources of power like diesel generators. To factor in a long duration of power cut, the batteries will be augmented.

The government is focusing more on keeping the power available for running nuclear reactors.  In Fukushima failure of diesel generators prevented the cooling of fuel rods. This led to overheating resulting hydrogen production and explosion due to hydrogen fire. These events lead to release of radioactivity  in Fukushima Daiichi .

Nuclear power plants at Tarapur  and Madras power stations will be given additional shore protection measures. This lesson learnt during the 2004 tsunami as well. Emergency operating procedures are being reviewed and training of personnel increased the government said.

However  India will not review its commitment to nuclear energy as government clarified .India’ s  nuclear  energy needs vast growing and nuclear energy is an important clean energy option which would be regard to safety, livelihood and security of people. Government intention is to ensure nuclear power that is safe, secure and economical.

The main use of  nuclear energy is generating electricity. Nuclear power is cost competitive with other forms of electricity generation except where there is direct access to low cost fossil fuels.

India now has 20 nuclear power plants under  operation and generating 4,780 MW of  electricity.

India latest nuclear plant is coming up at JAITHAPUR  in Maharashtra with a capacity of 3,200 MW( light water reactors )  in collaboration with Areva  of France. Government of India accorded environmental approval for construction of this plant with environmental protection conditions.