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Wind Power News: China
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational mission to provide information about industrial wind energy development to readers seeking such information. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the credited organizations or individuals and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law. The original articles, links to which are provided, may have additional links and photos and other media that were not included here.
How the development of solar and wind farms on the Tibetan Plateau is affecting local communities
[excerpt] With vast open landscapes and high elevations that provide ideal conditions for harnessing solar and wind energy, many pastoral lands have become key sites for large-scale renewable energy projects. Parts of what was once open fine alpine grassland, which Tibetans call pangtang where herders moved freely and gazed across the boundless horizon, are now covered by dense rows of solar panels. When the solar panels were installed, excavation for support posts and underground cables disturbed the topsoil and destroyed . . . Complete story »
In this desert, thousands of turbines spin at full speed, warming the air at night and cooling it by day
In the arid desert of China, massive wind turbines are changing the environment in surprising ways. These towering blades stir the air, altering local temperatures. Some regions feel warmer after sunset. Others cool down during the day. Scientists recently went out to uncover the truth. They found these farms do more than harvest energy. They actually reshape the climate. How do you feel about green energy impacting local weather? What led this Chinese desert to start acting so strangely The . . . Complete story »
China’s wind farms need to protect migratory birds
A black-faced spoonbill takes off from South Korea to migrate south for winter across the Yellow Sea. The rare bird holds a steady course for 500 km towards the Tiaozini wetlands on China’s Jiangsu coast. About 60 km away from his destination, he veers north after flying through two wind farms. After another 60 km, the bird encounters a third wind farm. The line on the tracker now becomes confused, as the bird circles back on himself, unsure of where . . . Complete story »
Two died in tragic effort to save colleague at wind farm, report finds
Three workers died at site after one went into wind turbine foundation pit where carbon monoxide had accumulated and suffocated, followed by two desperate rescue efforts from colleagues. The incident occurred in June this year at the Biyouweishan wind farm project in the mountainous Guizhou province in southwest China. An accident report into the incident was published late last month by a local government accident investigation team. Construction work at the 100MW project made up of 20 wind turbines began . . . Complete story »
Man falls to death at offshore wind farm project
A man has reportedly fallen to his death at an offshore wind farm construction project after slipping from a vessel. The incident took place at the 365MW Yeonggwang Nakwol offshore wind project in Korea, according to local media reports citing the coast guard earlier this month. Outlets including The Korea Herald said the worker, in his 50s, is believed to have slipped while jumping between a towing vessel and a 4,500-ton crane ship. The incident occurred near midnight on Sep. . . . Complete story »
Three dead from ‘poisoning and suffocation’ at wind farm project
Three workers have died due to “poisoning and suffocation” in the foundation pit of a wind farm, as an investigation is launched into the incident. The incident occurred last month at a wind farm in a mountainous region in southwest China. The local government for the Guizhou province where the accident took place issued a notice on Tuesday concerning the incident. The notice said that the “poisoning and suffocation” accident took place at the Biyou Weiwaishan wind project, identified elsewhere . . . Complete story »
Worker dies in wind turbine after climbing device accident
A worker has died in a wind turbine after improper use of an automatic climbing system that they had bound the controls for with a cable tie. The incident occurred in January this year at a wind project in China where 117 turbines are set to be built, according to an accident report released by a local authority last month. The report states that three workers were inside the turbine carrying out repairs when the incident occurred at the site . . . Complete story »
Five dead after fall during wind turbine installation
Government report blames ‘chaotic and ineffective’ management of project. Five workers died while installing a Goldwind wind turbine in China after the platform they were standing on collapsed, with a local authority having now issued a damning report into the incident, which prompted multiple arrests. The incident occurred last year while workers were installing the concrete tower for a Goldwind GWH 204/6.25MW turbine at a 150MW project in China’s eastern Anhui Province. The EPC general contractor for the 24-turbine project . . . Complete story »
‘Two blades break off’ world’s most powerful wind turbine in China
The world’s most powerful wind turbine, a 20MW giant manufactured by Mingyang, has reportedly suffered multiple blade breaks just months after the prototype machine was installed in China. The blades on the MySE18.X-20MW prototype offshore model broke earlier this month, according to Chinese news reports. Videos posted on Chinese social media show pieces of the giant blades falling from the turbine as it still spins. Other videos and pictures posted show the turbine now static, missing two blades entirely. Local . . . Complete story »
Studie weist nach: Massive Waldschäden durch Windparks
[Study shows massive forest damage caused by wind farms] Windräder verursachen umfangreiche Schäden für Menschen, Fauna und Flora. Insbesondere der Bau in Waldgebieten ruft großflächige Schäden an Bäumen und Böden hervor. Es kommt zur Abnahme der Belaubung und zu Bodenerosion sowohl durch den Bau benötigter Straßen als auch durch den Betrieb. „Grüne“ Energie, die die Erde weniger grün macht. Eine über 22 Jahre laufende Studie in China hatte gezeigt, dass Windräder zu einer erheblichen Reduktion der Biomasseproduktion führt. Zu einem . . . Complete story »
