develop wind power to protect environment

Earlier this month, the National Energy Administration (NEA) voiced its support for Dunhuang in the northwestern Gansu Province to build itself into the country's first nation-level pilot city of wind energy development.

According to Dunhuang development plan, the electric power generated by solar energy and wind energy in Dunhuang is expected to equal that produced by 2.2 million tonnes of coal by 2015. The amount of power will be nearly three times as much as the city's energy consumption by then.

The local government hopes the new energy industry will drive the local economy, which currently relies on the water-consuming agriculture sector.
Earlier this year, Liang Zhipeng, deputy director of the Department of New Energy and Renewable Energy of NEA, said China plans to build pilot zones of microgrids in regions with rich solar and wind resources and establish 100 pilot cities of new energy development from 2011 to 2015.
http://www.windturbines.net/news/China-s-Silk-Road-city-to-develop-wind-power-to-protect-environment-REVE-swx