Chinese Manufacturer First to Export Wind to U.S.

October 30th, 2009 by Yael Borofsky

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

Image Credit: obrien26382 via Flickr Creative Commons

Keep up to date with all the hottest cleantech news by subscribing to our (free) cleantech newsletter, or keep an eye on sector-specific news by getting our (also free) solar energy newsletter, electric vehicle newsletter, or wind energy newsletter.

Tags: China, Manufacturing

About the Author

Yael Borofsky , a Philadelphia native, writes about cleantech in order to contribute to the discourse on the role of renewables in the world's energy future. When she's not writing, Yael helps organize the annual North American Wine Bloggers' Conference, runs, bikes, hikes, and remains faithfully loyal to her beloved Philadelphia Phillies.

MD

Build them here.. yes that would be the right thing to do… honestly, I work with a lot of foreign engineers, hell I’m one of them at an American company.

So either way, you have the Chinese built the turbines to your BOM (Bill of Materials) and specs or you build it here in the USA in some unionized shop by some over paid, under educated American that does not give a rats ass about anything but their pay check, and those same workers build the turbines to some specs that us foreign engineers came up with here in the US…

Its a pretty picture, ain’t it.

Seems like being a Doctor or an Engineer was THE thing to be in the USA a long time ago, then via social engineering that attitude changed to “Here for a good time, not a long time”

Wake Up America – Foreigners are out pacing you in terms of Engineering Degrees hand over fist!

BTW – they are not cracker jack degrees from Ebay, many foreign nationals are getting their Masters and Doctorates right here in the USA!

/rant off!
MD

Build them here.. yes that would be the right thing to do… honestly, I work with a lot of foreign engineers, hell I’m one of them at an American company.

So either way, you have the Chinese built the turbines to your BOM (Bill of Materials) and specs or you build it here in the USA in some unionized shop by some over paid, under educated American that does not give a rats ass about anything but their pay check, and those same workers build the turbines to some specs that us foreign engineers came up with here in the US…

Its a pretty picture, ain’t it.

Seems like being a Doctor or an Engineer was THE thing to be in the USA a long time ago, then via social engineering that attitude changed to “Here for a good time, not a long time”

Wake Up America – Foreigners are out pacing you in terms of Engineering Degrees hand over fist!

BTW – they are not cracker jack degrees from Ebay, many foreign nationals are getting their Masters and Doctorates right here in the USA!

/rant off!
MD

Build them here.. yes that would be the right thing to do… honestly, I work with a lot of foreign engineers, hell I’m one of them at an American company.

So either way, you have the Chinese built the turbines to your BOM (Bill of Materials) and specs or you build it here in the USA in some unionized shop by some over paid, under educated American that does not give a rats ass about anything but their pay check, and those same workers build the turbines to some specs that us foreign engineers came up with here in the US…

Its a pretty picture, ain’t it.

Seems like being a Doctor or an Engineer was THE thing to be in the USA a long time ago, then via social engineering that attitude changed to “Here for a good time, not a long time”

Wake Up America – Foreigners are out pacing you in terms of Engineering Degrees hand over fist!

BTW – they are not cracker jack degrees from Ebay, many foreign nationals are getting their Masters and Doctorates right here in the USA!

/rant off!
Charles Vismeg

I am shocked to see even a temporary import from China. I remember when President Obama spoke at the Trinity Structural Towers Company on Earth Day and at many other occasions of our own clean energy development that cannot be offshored; so I disagree with Fred Glynn. It’s no excuse or argument that the disasterous Bush administration harmed this counry a lot more. On the other hand I strongly agree with Captain Morgan and John Galt.
Charles Vismeg

I am shocked to see even a temporary import from China. I remember when President Obama spoke at the Trinity Structural Towers Company on Earth Day and at many other occasions of our own clean energy development that cannot be offshored; so I disagree with Fred Glynn. It’s no excuse or argument that the disasterous Bush administration harmed this counry a lot more. On the other hand I strongly agree with Captain Morgan and John Galt.
Charles Vismeg

I am shocked to see even a temporary import from China. I remember when President Obama spoke at the Trinity Structural Towers Company on Earth Day and at many other occasions of our own clean energy development that cannot be offshored; so I disagree with Fred Glynn. It’s no excuse or argument that the disasterous Bush administration harmed this counry a lot more. On the other hand I strongly agree with Captain Morgan and John Galt.
john galt

What I have seen in manufactured goods from China is a priority emphasis on low cost. That may be OK for a coffee maker or a bicycle, but if the Chinese windmill lasts only half a long as an American or European unit, it would have to be half the price, minus the re-installation and disposal costs, to compete. I don’t think it’s a very good idea for the Federal govt. to get involved with backing Chinese loans. Loans to put Americans to work help generate tax revenues that help the country, if lawyers and Texans don’t get involved. Maybe there will be some answers in how the Chinese do business with the resolution of the issue of sulfide contaminated (toxic) drywall bought bought by wise suburb builders for the lowest price.
john galt

What I have seen in manufactured goods from China is a priority emphasis on low cost. That may be OK for a coffee maker or a bicycle, but if the Chinese windmill lasts only half a long as an American or European unit, it would have to be half the price, minus the re-installation and disposal costs, to compete. I don’t think it’s a very good idea for the Federal govt. to get involved with backing Chinese loans. Loans to put Americans to work help generate tax revenues that help the country, if lawyers and Texans don’t get involved. Maybe there will be some answers in how the Chinese do business with the resolution of the issue of sulfide contaminated (toxic) drywall bought bought by wise suburb builders for the lowest price.
john galt

What I have seen in manufactured goods from China is a priority emphasis on low cost. That may be OK for a coffee maker or a bicycle, but if the Chinese windmill lasts only half a long as an American or European unit, it would have to be half the price, minus the re-installation and disposal costs, to compete. I don’t think it’s a very good idea for the Federal govt. to get involved with backing Chinese loans. Loans to put Americans to work help generate tax revenues that help the country, if lawyers and Texans don’t get involved. Maybe there will be some answers in how the Chinese do business with the resolution of the issue of sulfide contaminated (toxic) drywall bought bought by wise suburb builders for the lowest price.
Fred Glynn

Captain Morgan . . . None of the Chinese jobs will be permanent, so forget that angle. Once the turbines are shipped, that’s it. What you should be thinking about are the hundreds of billions of dollars that will remain in the United States instead of being shipped off to Bush family friends in Saudi Arabia like the bin Laudens–since we’ll no longer be using oil to power our generators.
Fred Glynn

Captain Morgan . . . None of the Chinese jobs will be permanent, so forget that angle. Once the turbines are shipped, that’s it. What you should be thinking about are the hundreds of billions of dollars that will remain in the United States instead of being shipped off to Bush family friends in Saudi Arabia like the bin Laudens–since we’ll no longer be using oil to power our generators.
Fred Glynn

Captain Morgan . . . None of the Chinese jobs will be permanent, so forget that angle. Once the turbines are shipped, that’s it. What you should be thinking about are the hundreds of billions of dollars that will remain in the United States instead of being shipped off to Bush family friends in Saudi Arabia like the bin Laudens–since we’ll no longer be using oil to power our generators.
Captain Morgan

Nice … is this the “green jobs” revolution that Obama has been hyping all this time? So, that’s 30 permanent jobs in the U.S. and a few thousand for the Chinese turbine manufacturers. What a joke! How about a little nationalism and support for U.S.-based manufacturing? I guess even the greenies run to China for cheap manufacturing these days. Boo!!!
Captain Morgan

Nice … is this the “green jobs” revolution that Obama has been hyping all this time? So, that’s 30 permanent jobs in the U.S. and a few thousand for the Chinese turbine manufacturers. What a joke! How about a little nationalism and support for U.S.-based manufacturing? I guess even the greenies run to China for cheap manufacturing these days. Boo!!!