(ShanghaiDaily, Sept 27, 2006) CHINA is producing 1.5-megawatt wind turbine blades from a domestically made mold.

The Shanghai Fiber Reinforced Plastic Research Institute yesterday rolled out its first 1.5MW blade to capture future growth in the booming market. Several other domestic firms have already launched similar products, but they are more expensive because of loyalty costs.

"The roll-out means we already command the advanced manufacturing technology and that commercial production is a reality," said Luo Huimin, the institute's president. "Orders are strong."

Luo said the institute would produce 100 units of the 1.5MW blade by year-end and 300 units by the end of 2007. One unit includes three blades, each more than 30 meters in length and nearly 6 tons in weight.

Luo also announced the institute would start developing 2MW and 3MW blade and those for offshore use.

The biggest wind blade in operation has a 5MW capacity, according to He Dexin, president of the Chinese Wind Energy Association.

"But big is not necessarily good. The 1.5MW and 2MW blades are the most widely used," He said. "More than 20 domestic firms are making the megawatt-level wind turbines while local blade production is short of supply."

To diversify its energy mix and cut pollution, China plans to spend 1.5 trillion yuan (US$189 billion) over the next 15 years to boost the use of renewable resources, including solar, wind and water, the government said late last year.

In 1998, a patent claim by LM Glasfiber, the world's largest wind turbine blade maker, nearly led to the destruction of China's blade industry.

The Danish company applied for an invention patent in China for core technology of its 1.5MW blade. The application was made public by authorities for notification in 2004.

If the claim had been approved, then all production of the blade in China would have been an infringement of the patent.

The patent authority declared the Danish company's claim invalid in July.
source:ShanghaiDaily
tag:China energy power