A remote Chinese island is installing a power station that will harness the wind, sun and waves to produce energy and fresh water.

Situated on Dangan Island in the South China Sea, the station should provide 80 per cent of the energy requirements of its 300 inhabitants. A desalination facility will provide 10,000 tons of water per year.

Inhabitants of the island – the most remote in the South China Sea – currently rely on a diesel generator for their electricity needs, which operates for 14 hours a day. As well as being emissions-intensive it is expensive and wastes energy because it runs continuously.

The new power station will have a net output of 105 kilowatts: 90 from wind power, ten from wave power, and five kilowatts from solar power.

It will supply energy 24 hours a day. The energy will be stored in batteries before being used so that no energy is wasted.

Link to image: Joelguinto, Scidev

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