Lessons to be learned from Typhoon Usagi for Hong Kong's wind farms

One of the effects of Typhoon Usagi was its impact on the Honghaiwan wind farm in Shanwei, eastern Guangdong, China, about 130 kilometers northeast of Hong Kong. The land-based wind farm is comprised of 25 Vestas V47 600KW turbines. The website Windpower Intelligence reported that eight of the turbines were blown down by the typhoon, while the blades of another eight turbines were blown off, and the blades of the remaining turbines are being examined to see if they can operate normally.
CCTV2’s website reported that 70% of the wind farm had been knocked out. Windpower Intelligence reported that the typhoon led to CNY100 million (USD16.3 million) in losses for the wind farm. This is the second time the wind farm has suffered typhoon damage. The farm was hit in 2003 with damage to 13 out of 25 turbines, causing losses of CNY10 million (USD1.6 million).
The recent damage may have caused some unease within the government and possibly within Hongkong Electric and CLP, the two companies planning wind farms in Hong Kong. CLP, Hong Kong’s largest power company, plans to build what will be one of the biggest offshore wind farms in the world off Sai Kung, capable of generating 200 megawatts a year at a cost of almost HKD7 billion (USD902 million).
Hongkong Electric is set to build a HKD3 billion (USD387 million) wind farm between Lamma Island and Cheung Chau that would generate 100MW of power, enough for 50,000 households. Since Shanwei is fairly close to Hong Kong, it is frequently used as a reference for winds in Hong Kong.
These projects have their detractors, however. “This is another indication of how ill-advised these Hong Kong wind projects are,” Ng Young, the chairman of Hong Kong’s Association for Geoconservation, said.
The companies are still involved in testing work, and construction has yet to begin. The wind mills will only produce about 1.5% of Hong Kong’s total electricity production, and reduce its output of carbon dioxide by about 2%. Regardless, the government can point to them as its contribution to reducing Hong Kong’s carbon footprint and taking part in the world’s effort to limit the production of carbon dioxide, and thereby global warming.
Ng is an outspoken opponent. He says the wind farms are unsightly and kill birds, and are an unreliable source of energy. He points out that the Shanwei wind farm operates at an average of 17% to 18% efficiency. “The government is silly to support this project – building this white elephant just for the sake of appearing to do something green, when in fact it is damaging the environment, and costing the community a lot of money in terms of higher fuel bills and higher costs to business. The only beneficiaries are the power companies.”
(October 1, 2013)