The new Geospatial Toolkit identifies available wind resources in the Chinese province of Hebei, in addition to their proximity to features such as power transmission lines, protected lands and access routes.

The Hebei province has been identified as a priority in China's wind development efforts due to its high wind potential with major transmission lines and cities nearby.

The toolkit will be made available to China’s energy planners through the Wind Technology Partnership, a joint effort by the EPA, the US Department of Energy and the Chinese Government.

“We all share the same environment," said Bill Wehrum, acting assistant administrator for the EPA’s Air and Radiation division.

“Working together through this partnership, the United States can assist China in shifting to a greener, more sustainable path."

Geospatial Toolkits have also been developed for Bangladesh, Brazil, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Sri Lanka.

International concerns about the environmental impact of China’s rapid economic growth has seen the Chinese Government make long-term commitments to renewable energy, through a variety of international mechanisms including the Kyoto Protocol and emissions trading.

China recently secured a loan from the World Bank worth more than $A117 million, specifically for renewables such as wind, solar and small hydro projects.

Around $90 million of this loan is earmarked for wind energy projects.

The toolkit software is available for download at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, http://www.nrel.gov/international/geospatial_toolkits.html.