First electricity taken from wind in sea off Zhuhai

Guishan Offshore Windfarm began generating electricity on March 13, auguring a clean power source for Zhuhai city and its islands of Dong'ao, Guishan, and Greater Wanshan by the end of this year.

The transmission marks a breakthrough for the first such offshore pilot project in Guangdong Province. Construction by owner Southern Offshore Wind Power Joint Development commenced in September 2016 soon after approval was granted by the Development & Reform Commission. To date, the project is about 75 percent completed.

Guishan Offshore Wind Farm

With installed capacity of 198 megawatts, the wind farm will initially reach a scale of 120 mw, and the first phase can supply 266 million kilowatt-hours per year. To put that into perspective: One offshore wind turbine of Danish company MHI Vestas reportedly can produce 9.5 megawatts of energy, which is powering some 8,000 homes in the United Kingdom.

The Guishan step-up substation will distribute electricity via submarine cables to onshore power grids. This will be done through a powerhouse, substations, turbine bases, control rooms, 34 wind turbines with a capacity of 3 mw each and three at 6-mw, generators, transformers, safety equipment, and transmission lines.

The activated 110-kv step-up substation is located on uninhabited Sanjiao Island northwest of the Wanshan Archipelago, 10 km (6.2 miles) west of Guishan Island, and 20.5 km (13 miles) from downtown Zhuhai.

Step-up substation on Sanjiao Island

The undertaking is listed as a core technology research project significant for Guangdong's strategic emerging industries. It also is a key energy task included in both provincial and municipal development plans. It is estimated that annual energy output of the windfarm can save 86,600 tons of standard coal equivalents and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 206,700 tons. 

Full government support ensures the leading role of the first-batch pilot smart grid projects designated by the National Energy Administration during the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-15).

Overall plan [Photos provided by Southern Offshore Wind Power Joint Development]