Renewable energy push nets tangible results

China's position as the leading investor in renewable energy infrastructure worldwide will be further enhanced with the commencement of operations of the Tanque Novo 180 megawatt wind power project in Brazil built by China General Nuclear Power Corp, industry experts said.

Designed with 40 wind turbine units, the project is the second greenfield one built independently by CGN in the state of Bahia, northeast Brazil, which is rich in wind resources, the company said.

All the wind turbines have been made in China and they have the largest blades in South America at present, it said.

According to CGN, the project is expected to generate 720 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, capable of meeting the power demand of 430,000 Brazilian households. It can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 650,000 metric tons each year, it said.

Zhu Qingqiao, the Chinese ambassador to Brazil, said cooperation between both countries in clean energy has a solid foundation and broad prospects, as China is the world's largest investor in renewable energy and the largest manufacturer of clean energy equipment, while the Brazilian government also regards clean energy as a priority for development.

CGN's Tanque Novo project is a successful example of China-Brazil energy innovation cooperation, said Efrain Cruz, deputy minister of Mines and Energy, Brazil.

Not only does it provide clean energy and create jobs in Brazil, but it also effectively drives energy transition and upgrading of the wind energy industry, Cruz said.

China has become a leading investor in global renewable energy infrastructure in recent years, an analyst said.

The accelerated shift toward a low-carbon economy will require rapidly scaled-up investments in renewable energy industries and this will provide Chinese companies more opportunities in overseas markets, said Lin Boqiang, head of the China Institute for Studies in Energy Policy at Xiamen University.

"China is already the leading global investor in renewable energy infrastructure, and is increasing its overseas investments in renewable energy, particularly solar and wind," he said.

Chen Xiangyu, an analyst with BloombergNEF, said the energy transition and demand for low-cost options have given more opportunities for Chinese wind power companies in the global market.

State Power Investment Corporation said on Wednesday that its photovoltaic power generation project of the Hunutlu Power Plant in Turkiye, with an installed capacity of 21 MW, was connected to the grid in May, and will provide about 33.39 million kWh of clean electricity annually.