Energy

Solar energy project brings electricity to remote villages

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-17 15:15

A solar power project built with joint financing from the Chinese and German governments has been completed, enabling 56 remote villages in Northwest China to have access to electricity for the first time in history.

According to a statement of the government of Qinghai province Tuesday, the project, began in 2002, consists of 56 independently operating photovoltaic and photovoltaic-diesel hybrid power stations with a gross installed capacity of 1,539.4 kW, including 454.4 kW of solar power and 1,085 kW of diesel power.

The project enabled 3,680 families of 10,400 farmers and herdsmen to use electricity in their daily life and also guaranteed power supply for 34 temples, 13 villagers' committees, two police stations, two schools and clinics in Hainan, Haibei, Huangnan and Yushu Tibetan autonomous prefectures, and the Mongolian-Tibetan autonomous prefecture of Haixi, the statement said.

The project cost 92.4 million yuan ($13.5 million), including 64 million yuan from the German government and 28 million yuan from the Qinghai provincial government and 400,000 yuan provided by a German free training, according to the statement.

This is the province's largest donation-financed construction project, the statement said.