China to be No. 3 wind power developer

China is set to achieve a wind power capacity of 20 million kilowatts by the end of the year. The deputy director of the New Energy Department of the National Energy Bureau says this means China will become the third largest wind power developer in the world.

Shi Lishan says the total wind power capacity was only 760 thousand kilowatts in 2004, and it grew to 12 million kilowatts in 2008. At the same time, the country's wind power equipment manufacturing industry has taken shape.

Shi Lishan says the mass production of a 1.5 million kilowatt wind power generator unit has been realized, a 5-million kilowatt unit is under research and development. Sources say China may become the largest wind power developer in three or five years.