Maglev wind farm to be built in China

Magnetic technology could cut operational costs by half.

Chinese Hytex Integrated Berhad has signed an agreement with Gezhouba Group Electric Power to co-develop the 50MW maglev wind farm in Southern China.

The project is expected to cost US$81 million and will sell power to the China Southern Power Grid and concessions.

Construction at the site is to start in October with completion expected in October 2015, subject to approval from the Guizhou Province municipal authority and the China Southern Power Grid.

Gezhouba will be the turnkey contractor, and will be responsible for constructing the infrastructure and installing the Maglev turbines and other equipment that will be supplied by Hytex.

Hytex Integrated Berhad is a Malaysia-based company engaged in investment holding and provision of management services to its subsidiaries.

Magnetic levitation (maglev) wind power generators improve efficiency by using magnets to reduce friction, allowing turbines to turn with winds as low as 1.5 meters per second, and cut-in, or energy-producing, speeds of 3 m/s.

For developing countries like China, maglev technology could be crucial to bringing wind power to places where it is currently unutilized and too costly to build.