(Yicai Global) Sept. 11 -- The initial unit of China's first ever 5-megawatt offshore windfarm, Fuqing Xinghua Bay Offshore Wind Power Phase I, will connect to the main grid and generate power from the middle of September, Economic Daily reported.

State-owned power firm China Three Gorges Corp. is an investor in the Fuqing Xinhua plant, which is based in China's southeastern coastal province of Fujian.

"China has made a breakthrough in the key technology of large capacity wind turbine generators and is set for industrial development," said Lu Chun, chairman of China Three Gorges. "An offshore wind power base with large capacity and a complete industrial chain has come to fruition in Fujian."

In total, 14 large-scale wind turbine generators from eight domestic and overseas manufacturers, including Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co. [SHE:002202;HKG:2208], General Electric Co. [NYSE:GE;LSE:GEC], CSIC Chongqing Haizhuang Windpower Equipment Co. and Taiyuan Heavy Industry Co. [SHA:600169], will compete at a test wind farm to determine which turbine is best suited to conditions in Fujian.

The state-owned investor is also building the Fujian Three Gorges Offshore Wind Power International Industry Park in the Fuzhou Jiangyin Industrial cluster on the north bank of Xinghua Bay.

"The test wind farm will allow different manufacturers to compete and discover the best-suited generator to improve manufacturing of domestic offshore wind power equipment," said Chen Yongming, vice general manager of the industrial park's operator.

After going into operation in December 2019, the industrial park will produce 1.5-gigawatt turbines, with annual output worth CNY10 billion (USD1.55 billion). Several domestic and foreign firms, including Goldwind and GE, have signed an agreement of intent to station at the industrial park.

China Three Gorges started the 300,000-kilowatt test wind farm in November 2016 with CNY1.8 billion, making it the world's first large-scale offshore wind power test site.