Ningxia Tianjing Shenzhou wind farm
What is it?
A 36 turbine wind farm in a relatively poor area of China using high-tech turbines that adjust to wind speed. The land is desert-like, so wind farms don’t interfere with potential agricultural use. Coal is cheap locally, so wind energy is only economically viable thanks to carbon credits.
What are the benefits?
The farm provides 70.38 gigawatt-hours of clean electricity each year. As a direct alternative to coal, this prevents emissions of CO2 (50,000 tonnes a year) and dangerous pollutants: 170 tonnes of sulphur dioxide (which causes acid rain) and 280 tonnes of mono nitrogen oxides (NOx, cause of respiratory problems and smog).
What else do we like about it?
As well as benefiting local tourism by providing electricity to the famous historical site, Xi Xia Emperor’s Tomb, the farm is stimulating the growth of a wind industry in Ningxia, with local engineers receiving valuable training.
