A conceptual picture of the Changjiang'ao offshore wind farm currently being constructed in Pingtan, Fujian province [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The ground-breaking ceremony for the Changjiang'ao offshore wind farm was held in Liushui town in Pingtan, Fujian province, on Feb 21.

The 185 MW offshore wind farm, developed by Fujian Datang International New Energy Development Co, will cover an area of 13 square kilometers and contain 37 wind turbines.

With investment totaling 3.6 billion yuan ($520 million), the wind power project shall generate 68 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.

The power generated will first be transmitted via 35 KV underwater cables to a 220 KV converter station established near Tanshui and Yufan villages in Liushui before being sent into the grid system, according to Li Zhenchuan, general manager of Datang International.

Li Zhenchuan, general manager of Fujian Datang International New Energy Development Co, gives an interview during the ground-breaking ceremony for the Changjiang'ao offshore wind farm on Feb 21. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Work on the project this year will focus on prospecting, pile testing and design optimization. The whole project is expected to be completed in 2019, and once operational the wind farm is expected to generate annual revenues reaching 200 million yuan, Li added.

Pingtan, a collection of islands off the coast of Fujian, has great potential for wind power generation, and the city government has identified more than 230 square kilometers of space suitable for use in wind power projects.

The city is actively taking advantage of these resources. In addition to the Changjiang’ao offshore wind power farm, construction has also already begun on a 300 MW wind farm near Dalian Island.

This diagram details the distribution of Pingtan's wind power projects. Blue indicates those in operation, while red indicates those under construction. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]