China is in a position to become the world leader in wind power, according to a Greenpeace report released today. Wind Guandong, a study of wind power potential in the heavily industrialized Guandong province in southern China, says that by 2020 alone, the region could feasibly produce enough energy from wind turbines to meet the equivalent of Hong Kong’s total current electricity supply.

“This report confirms that with political and industry will Guangdong’s uptake of clean wind power could become a model for renewable energy development not only in China but for all of Asia,” said Robin Oakley, Greenpeace China’s Energy spokesperson. “This would be a gigantic step forward in reducing the threat of climate change and powering the sustainable growth of the region’s economies.”
 
By 2020 enough wind power could feasibly be installed in Guangdong to cut carbon emissions by 29 million tonnes. Guangdong, the richest and most populous province in China, is among the biggest emitters of carbon dioxide (CO2) in China and Chinese scientists claim that the concentrations of carbon dioxide in the region are among the highest in the world.

 “Every player in China is actively devoted to wind energy,” said Li Junfeng, Director of the Chinese Renewable Energy Industry Association, “including the Big Five Power Companies, some private companies and some provincial energy investment companies. Even companies like China Guangdong Nuclear Power, which has been investing in nuclear power, is paying attention to wind power.”

The Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior is currently in Hong Kong leading the Asian Energy Revolution Tour of Hong Kong, The Philippines and Thailand. The ship will spend the next two days in the South China Sea measuring and recording wind in the region. To observe its findings live, log on to:

http://www.greenpeace.org/china/en/asia-clean-energy-revolution-tour/clean-energy/wind-guangdong

Greenpeace is an independent campaigning organisation that uses non-violent creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems to force solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.