China Targets 100 GW Wind Power Capacity By 2020 - Official4-20-09 2:10 AM EDT | E-mail Article | Print ArticleBEIJING -(Dow Jones)- China aims to achieve an installed wind power capacity of 100 gigawatts by 2020, more than eight times installed capacity as of the end of 2008 and more than three times the original target, Fang Junshi, an official with the National Energy Administration, said Monday.
The new target underlines the rapid development of wind power in the country in recent years, following the introduction of preferential policies with the intent of significantly lifting the percentage of renewable energy in the total energy mix. However, China will still need 900-1,000 gigawatts of coal-fired power generation capacity in 2020, said Fang, a director with the NEA's coal department.
The country is expected to have a total of 1,400-1,500 gigawatts of power generation capacity by that time, he said.
As a result, demand for coal will likely grow 20% from current levels to around 3.4 billion metric tons a year in 2020, including 2 billion tons of thermal coal, Fang said.
The new target underlines the rapid development of wind power in the country in recent years, following the introduction of preferential policies with the intent of significantly lifting the percentage of renewable energy in the total energy mix. However, China will still need 900-1,000 gigawatts of coal-fired power generation capacity in 2020, said Fang, a director with the NEA's coal department.
The country is expected to have a total of 1,400-1,500 gigawatts of power generation capacity by that time, he said.
As a result, demand for coal will likely grow 20% from current levels to around 3.4 billion metric tons a year in 2020, including 2 billion tons of thermal coal, Fang said.
