Bids invited for 200 MW first phase of Changma wind project

Companies are being invited to formally tender to develop the Changma wind farm in a 1000 square kilometre area of the Gobi desert, southwest of Yumen Town in Gansu province. Bids for the 200 MW first phase of the project -- which is planned to eventually total 500 MW -- can be lodged from November 30, says the Reform and Development Commission of Gansu provincial government. Already more than 11 domestic companies and two overseas firms have bought the tender documents, says the commission. To date, just 160 MW of wind plant has been installed in the region, although a further 340 MW is under construction. Gansu's government, which has earmarked 18 sites for wind development, has set targets for 1000 MW of installed wind capacity by 2010 and 5000 MW by 2020. Its longer term goal is 20,000 MW of wind plant.