Wind power capacity nears China's development target

Wind generator installed in high-altitude region

Solution to growth of new-energy firms blowing in the wind

BEIJING -- China saw robust development of wind power in the first half of this year while the European green sector struggled, according to data from an industrial expo on Wednesday.

More than 7 gigawatts of wind power generating capacity was connected to the state grid by the end of June 2014, representing an increase of 30.37 percent year on year, according to China Wind Power 2014, which opened in Beijing Wednesday.

The rapid growth brought the country's total wind power generating capacity close to 100 gigawatts, a goal policymakers hope to achieve by 2015.

After explosive growth in the past decade, global wind power faltered last year in installed capacity as European nations, the industry's main market, cut government subsidies to the sector in the wake of the European sovereign debt crisis.

In contrast, the Chinese government has increased its support to the green sector through subsidies and tax breaks in a bid to boost the use of non-fossil fuel to reduce pollution and address global climate change.

The wind power sector generated 134.9 billion kWh of electricity in China last year, making it the country's third-largest source of electricity, after thermal power and hydro power.

Li Junfeng, director of the National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation, expected steady growth of Chinese wind power generators and turbine manufacturers thanks to the stable policy environment.

China aims to increase wind power installed capacity to 200 gigawatts by 2020.

The global wind power sector will be back on a fast track soon as the US market recovers and emerging economies catch up to tap green energy, Li said.