The European Union has launched a raid on the use of Chinese wind manufacturers, producers of turbines and other equipment for the European market.
All this because the competitive prices offered are due to financial aid provided by the Chinese government. Some countries, such as Spain, France, Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece, are in the focus of this investigation led by the EU’s Directorate General for Competition.
European wind energy projects
The first project to incorporate Chinese wind technology was the La Loma wind farm, located in Aliaga, Teruel. Built between 2012 and 2013, the farm consists of 12 Sinovel SL3000/113 turbines, each with a capacity of 3 megawatts and a rotor diameter of 113 meters.
This model has been implemented in other countries such as Sweden, Italy and South Africa, highlighting the international expansion of Chinese wind power technology, although its presence has been registered for more than ten years.
Mention should also be made of the installation of an experimental wind turbine in Granada by the Cuerva group. This wind turbine, a 3.4 MW Vensys/Goldwind, generates approximately 10.2 GWh of clean energy annually, meeting the energy demand of nearly 1,200 homes, and represents the most powerful model installed in Spain to date.
These are the only known instances of Chinese wind power technology in Spain. However, the possibility of future agreements or purchases by local developers with Chinese manufacturers is not ruled out, although such information remains out of the public knowledge and industry associations.
EU investigation and Chinese wind power manufacturers
The European Commission has extended its investigation to other European countries, finding situations similar to Spain’s, but with a somewhat more notable presence. In France, for example, the Vannier-Amance wind farm, powered by Envision, has been operational since spring 2022.
On the other hand, Romania is developing a wind farm with Goldwind turbines, with financing from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Bulgaria and Greece have also seen limited introduction of Chinese wind technology into their energy markets. Despite ongoing research in these five countries, Serbia has emerged as a new market for Chinese wind manufacturers, such as Zhejiang Windey’s deal for an 854 MW project.
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Source: elperiodicodelaenergia.com
Photo: Shutterstock
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