Beijing Tianrun New Energy Investment Co Ltd has invested 1.35 billion yuan ($212 million) in a wind power project in Guizhou province, in a bid to promote local economic transformation.

The whole project involves three phases. Construction of the first phase, with a maximum capacity of 50 megawatts, began recently in Qiaojia town of Yanhe county in Tongren city, with an investment of 450 million yuan from Beijing Tianrun.

The project began wind tests in 2016 and was officially launched two years later. When the whole project is completed, it will become a supplemental source for the local electricity network and even be able to supply power to the grid in Tongren.

"Our company has long been devoted to the nation's poverty alleviation undertaking. Yanhe county is an impoverished area, but it is rich in wind power. That is why we chose to invest here," said Wu Peng, program director at Beijing Tianrun.

According to Wu, Yanhe county has extensive meadows and the wind speed there reaches 5 meters per second.

"Usually a wind speed of 6 m/s is required to build a wind farm, but the low-wind-speed generating units we developed can make full use of the wind power resource here. After the wind farm is built, the estimated return rate of investment is 8 to 10 percent a year," he said.

In addition, Beijing Tianrun has established an 800,000-yuan poverty-alleviation fund, aiming to promote infrastructure construction in Yanhe and assist the local agriculture industry.

Han Fei, deputy chief of Yanhe county, said "the local area mainly relies on agriculture and industrial development is relatively weak. The wind farm, which is environmentally friendly, will promote the economic development of the county".

"The establishment of the wind farm will contribute to government revenue. Moreover, there is a chance to develop some tourism programs. We may take the opportunity to combine local agriculture with tourism, lifting local people out of poverty," he said.

In recent years, the county has optimized the industrial structure to increase residents' incomes through the construction of agricultural parks. The wind power project will be a push for future development.

Zhao Yandi contributed to the story. Contact the writer at zhengyiran@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 05/10/2018 page18)