It is the first of its kind produced in the country. Previously, Germany was the only country capable of independently developing the turbine -- the largest in terms of capacity in the world -- and is the only country to have tested the prototype in the natural environment, said Tao Gang, vice-president of Sinovel Wind Group Co Ltd.

With 128-meter blades in diameter, the prototype has greater wind capturing capacity and is more efficient at utilizing wind resources than other turbines, said Tao.  Indigenous production of the huge turbine will accelerate development of offshore wind power in the country.

Given the growing scarcity of land resources and emission reduction targets, European countries and the United States are pushing development of offshore wind power. Over the next decade, Britain and France plan to install 7,600 offshore wind turbines -- each unit with a capacity of more than 5mW.

In China, the first 100mW offshore wind farm went into operation in Shanghai in August 2010. In the same year, China completed public tender for offshore wind farms totaling 1gW in capacity in the eastern Jiangsu Province. Construction of the wind farms will start this year.

Sinovel is looking to develop 10mW turbines, according to Tao. Other Chinese wind turbine makers are also developing large capacity turbines through licensed production or joint design with foreign partners. China has over 80 wind turbine makers. The top three wind turbine markers in the country, Sinovel, Goldwind and Dongfang Electric, are among the top 10 makers in the world.

By the end of 2010, domestic cumulative wind installed capacity amounted to 44.7gW, the largest in the world, and accounted for 23 percent of the world total, according to China Wind Energy Commission (CWEA).

Source: Dat Viet/Xihua