Micro-hybrids in rural China

Abstract The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, home of the Gobi desert and Yellow River, is also home to the largest concentration of small wind turbines in the world. Since the 1970s, small wind systems have become increasingly popular for rural, dispersed households in this region. Today, some 140,000–150,000 of these systems have been disseminated, powering about a third of the unelectrifiedpopulation. While wind turbines are now ubiquitous in this region, low-wind summer months can be frustrating for the herdsmen, as the system output drops to a fraction of its rated capacity and batteries cannot be fully charged. As a result, Inner Mongolian herdsmen are leading the rest of the world in micro-hybrids by adding solar PV to their wind systems. A thriving wind and PV/industry exists today in Inner Mongolia, where renewable energy equipment is sold along the main streets of the towns and cities (Figure 1). Dr Debra Lew, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, USA reports.