A boost to the development of wind power in China will not only help to cut carbon dioxide emission but also serve as a buffer zone for sandstorms in north China, energy expert Huang Yicheng, said on Wednesday.

Huang, also the country's former energy minister, explained that establishment of big wind power stations with the installation of windmills in northwestern China was like a shield to reduce wind velocity.

Huang said it was difficult to forecast the effect, but it would definitely help north China including Olympic Beijing to go through fewer sandstorms in winter and spring.

He said during the ongoing 5th Asian wind energy exhibition and conference that in recent years 80 percent of China's newly-added annual 100 million kilowatts power capacity was fuelled by coal, which added new pressure to coal supply and environmental protection goals.

He estimated that the wind power resources on the country's land stood at 700 million kilowatts, of which 300 to 400 million kilowatts was workable.

Figures showed that Chinese installed wind power capacity reached 6 million kilowatts by 2007, coming behind Germany, the United States, Spain and India, while the combined wind energy installation underway is 4.2 million kilowatts.

To meet mounting demand for electricity from both domestic civilian and industrial users, the country has stressed renewable and clean energy in recent years.

Zhou Xi'an, an official from the the Office of the National Energy Leading Group, said China is endeavoring to build "wind power three gorges" projects in northwest Gansu Province, east Jiangsu Province and north Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Zhou predicted that the installed wind power capacity will top 10 million kilowatts by the end of this year and 20 million kilowatts in 2010.

(Xinhua News Agency June 26, 2008)