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The southern Chinese province of Guangdong will launch a tender this autumn for its first offshore wind concession.

A 200MW wind farm in the Guishan sea area, off Zhuhai city, is due to be the province’s first offshore project, according to Shi Lei, chief engineer of Guangdong Electric Power Design Institute.

Guangdong provincial government has approved a development plan for the Guishan sea area, and has submitted this to the State Oceanic Administration (SEA). The SEA has the power to block offshore wind developments and has done so in Jiangsu province (“uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç Offshore 1 June 2012).

The province’s goal is to develop 1GW of offshore wind capacity by 2015. The Guishan offshore wind farm will be one of three in the Wanshan district, with the two others in the Wanshan and Jiapeng sea areas respectively. The Wanshan sea area is earmarked for a 150MW project, while Jiapeng will host 400MW.

Construction of the first project, in Guishan, will involve investment of 4.5bn yuan ($706m), and will begin within the year. The first turbine is scheduled for installation in the middle of next year.

Electricity generated by the project will land on Guishan Island and will supply a network taking in Guishan, Dong’ao and Dawanshan islands, which have a population of 10,000. It will be located 17 nautical miles to the east of Macao and 3 miles south of Hong Kong. Wind speeds average 7-8m/second. The project is due to be fully commissioned by 2014.         

Last week, China Southern Power Grid set up an offshore wind power development company in Guangzhou city, joining Mingyang Wind Power and Yuedian Group, which are already seeking to develop offshore wind in the area.