On December 1, China’s first national-level offshore wind power research and test inspection base (hereinafter referred to as “offshore wind power test base”) began construction in Fujian. This is an important measure to deeply implement Xi Jinping’s new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, adhere to innovation-driven development, implement the strategy of strengthening enterprises through science and technology, and promote a leapfrog development from Made in China to Created in China, and then to China leading. It is also a significant breakthrough in creating original technology hubs, promoting clean and low-carbon energy transformation, and aiding the construction of a new type of power system and new energy system.
Picture: Cai Hao
The offshore wind power test base is a major project in China’s “14th Five-Year Plan.” The project is jointly invested and constructed by the State Grid Corporation of China, China Huadian Corporation, and the Power Construction Corporation of China, with plans to be fully operational by 2024. The base aims to establish an internationally first-class offshore wind power research platform, test platform, and exchange and cooperation platform. It is dedicated to creating an industrial ecosystem integrating “technology research, testing and certification, equipment manufacturing, construction and installation, and operation and maintenance.” This will fill the gap in China’s lack of a large-power, full-size ground test platform, with the technical capability of the test equipment aiming to be the world’s best. Once completed, the base will further enhance China’s research and testing capabilities in offshore wind power equipment, accelerate the breakthrough in key technologies and grid-connection technologies for offshore wind power equipment, and significantly contribute to improving China’s wind power technology level and equipment manufacturing capacity. This will promote the high-quality development of the wind power industry and help achieve China’s “dual carbon” goals.
In recent years, the State Grid Corporation of China has continuously strengthened its research and testing capabilities in offshore wind power equipment, building on its existing onshore wind power test and verification capacity. The newly started offshore wind power test base is an important part of the National Key Laboratory for Renewable Energy Grid Integration. It includes an onshore testing center and a test wind farm, with its main functions being the full-size ground testing of wind turbine units with six degrees of freedom loading, ultra-large capacity complex grid simulation, ultra-long blade biaxial high-frequency loading tests, and scientific research.
The onshore testing center is located in the Jiangyin Industrial Park in Fuqing City, Fujian Province, near the Jiangyin Port Terminal and adjacent to the Three Gorges Wind Power Industrial Park. The main construction includes a 25-megawatt six degrees of freedom loading, full-size ground test platform, and a 150-meter-class blade test platform. The test wind farm is planned to have 6 onshore test positions and 20-40 offshore test positions, with the first batch of 20 offshore test positions located in the offshore area of Changle, Fujian Province.
1. The construction of the offshore wind power test base will enhance the technological innovation level of China’s wind power industry, seize the high ground in world energy technology, and help achieve high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening. Since 2020, China’s offshore wind power has developed rapidly, with wind power units entering the era of large capacity. As of the end of September this year, the cumulative installed capacity of offshore wind power nationwide has reached 31.89 million kilowatts. Compared with existing test and verification platforms at home and abroad, once completed, the offshore wind power test base will cover all offshore wind power performance test and verification capabilities specified in the latest IEC and relevant national standards. Its test platform towing capacity, loading capacity, and grid simulation capabilities will be the world’s best, capable of conducting tests on the world’s largest-capacity wind turbines and the longest blades, as well as offshore wind turbine unit full-frequency impedance scanning tests, which are currently not possible internationally. Once operational, the test base, integrating simulation analysis, operational testing, characteristic evaluation, and technological R&D, will conduct empirical research on large-capacity offshore wind turbines, research on grid-friendly wind power integration technology, and digital twin research on the full characteristics of single offshore wind turbines and stations. It will lead in international standard formulation and tackle key core technologies in offshore wind power, significantly enhancing China’s basic research and testing capabilities in offshore wind power.
2. The construction of the offshore wind power test base will facilitate the deep integration of the industrial and innovation chains, promoting the upgrade of the offshore wind power industry and driving the advancement of industrial foundations and the modernization of the industrial chain. Once operational, the base will further improve the offshore wind power technological innovation and service system, providing comprehensive services such as scientific research, testing verification, and exchange and sharing for Chinese offshore wind power equipment manufacturers, research institutions, operators, and other upstream and downstream industry chain entities. This will promote the formation of a complete industrial ecosystem, accelerate product R&D upgrades, enhance the independent R&D capability and international competitiveness of China’s electrical equipment manufacturing industry, and improve the resilience and safety levels of the industrial and supply chains.
As a hub of original technology, the base will help accelerate the R&D of new wind power equipment technologies, overcome the bottlenecks in manufacturing large-capacity offshore wind turbine units and large-size blades, and enhance the level of Chinese offshore wind power equipment manufacturing technology. This will boost the high-quality development of the offshore wind power industry.
3. The construction of the offshore wind power test base will facilitate the development of a new type of power system and a new energy system, serving the transition to clean and low-carbon energy and helping to achieve the “dual carbon” goals. Water, wind, and solar clean energy sources have gradually become the main energy sources for China’s construction of a new type of power system. They are the main force in supporting the decarbonization of the power system and then driving the entire energy system and society towards carbon neutrality. Currently, Fujian Province has developed a general layout where clean energy accounts for half of the energy mix and a full range of power sources develop in coordination. As of the end of October 2023, the installed capacity of clean energy in Fujian Province reached 50.27 million kilowatts, accounting for 62.6% of the total installed capacity in the province. Among this, the installed capacity of offshore wind power reached 3.21 million kilowatts, ranking third in the country. It is estimated that the theoretical potential of offshore wind power in Fujian exceeds 120 million kilowatts, and with the grid connection of a batch of large-capacity offshore wind turbine units, the scale of offshore wind power grid connection will continue to expand.
The new type of power system is characterized by a “double high” (high proportion of renewable energy and high proportion of power electronic devices), which continuously raises the requirements for the safe and stable operation of the power grid. Once operational, the base will establish a wind turbine grid connection performance test and evaluation system based on ground tests, and establish related standards. It will provide efficient and reliable technical means for the grid connection tests of large-capacity offshore wind turbine units, improve the performance quality and grid-friendly level of wind turbine units, and ensure the safe and reliable operation of the grid with large-scale wind power integration. This supports the development of clean energy and contributes to the realization of the “dual carbon” goals.
Data from the National Energy Administration shows that by the end of June 2023, China’s installed capacity of renewable energy exceeded 1.3 billion kilowatts, historically surpassing coal power. Among these, wind power installations reached 389 million kilowatts, maintaining the global lead for 13 consecutive years. The State Grid Corporation of China will resolutely implement the new energy security strategy of “Four Revolutions and One Cooperation,” adhere to the corporate purpose of serving the people through the power industry, and advance the high-quality development of “One Body and Four Wings.” This approach is aimed at building an internationally leading, China-characteristic energy interconnection enterprise, powering a better life, and empowering a beautiful China.
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