Chinese Manufacturer First to Export Wind to U.S.

A-Power Energy Generation Systems won one aspect of the clean energy race and made history, as it will become the first Chinese manufacturer to export wind turbines to the United States. A-Power Energy Generation Systems and a consortium of Chinese and American companies — U.S. Renewable Energy Group, Cielo Wind Power, and the Shenyang Power Group — are planning to build a 600-megawatt wind farm in West Texas.

The project, which could power as many as 180,000 homes, will require 240 2.5-megawatt turbines and the farm will occupy 36,000 acres of land in West Texas. Nearly shovel ready, the construction effort is projected to create about 30 permanent jobs and 300 temporary ones. Ground-breaking on the wind farm is slated for March of 2010.

Financing will largely be sourced from Chinese banks with the U.S. government contributing loan guarantees and cash grants. In total, the wind farm is estimated to cost $1.5 billion.

The landmark export deal could signify a significant step forward for the Chinese, who are actively looking to lead the world in clean energy technology innovation. While the success of the wind farm project is an enormous factor, this could be the start of a trend for the Chinese who stand to gain significant economic benefits if they continue to be the go-to turbine manufacturer for U.S. wind projects.

Sources: NPR, New York Times, MSNBC

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