A staff member tests equipment at a large-scale wind power project in Nagqu City, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Dec. 14, 2023. (Photo: Xinhua)

China's first high-altitude megawatt-scale wind power demonstration project was connected to the state grid on Tuesday in Jixi County, East China's Anhui Province. The feat underscores China's commitment to exploring new frontiers of clean energy.

The project, which is funded, constructed, and operated by the China Energy Engineering Group (CEEG), boasts a total installed capacity of 2 x 2.4 megawatts and has the capability to harness wind energy from altitudes ranging between 500 meters and 3,000 meters. 

According to CEEG, the project adopts a unique umbrella-ladder combination system, using land-based high-altitude wind power generation technology. Unlike conventional low-altitude wind turbines, which are often referred to "windmills," the system employs a flying device tethered to a cable and launched into the upper atmosphere like a kite.

In the system, the umbrella unit, assisted by an initial lift provided by helium balloons, ascends to a certain altitude where it opens up to capture wind energy at over 500 meters. The flying device, driven by the wind, reciprocates the cable, rotating a generator on the ground to produce electricity.

This latest breakthrough in China's renewable energy development underscores the country's leader position in the sector, the commissioning of the project in Jixi not only demonstrates the feasibility of high-altitude wind power generation at a large scale but also opens up new possibilities in expanding China's clean energy production, experts noted.

The project is expected to serve as a valuable testing ground for further research and development in high-altitude wind power technology, paving the way for more efficient and cost-effective solutions in the future. 

As of December 2023, according to the National Energy Administration, China's installed capacity of clean and renewable energy exceeded 50 percent of the country's total installed power generation capacity for the first time, reaching 1.45 billion kilowatts, also making China poised to become the world's largest wind power generator for the 13th consecutive year.