Stage One Of Panda Solar Power Plant Up And Running

Datong Panda Power Plant – Artist’s Impression

The initial phase of the world’s first Panda Power Plant in Datong, Shanxi province, China has been officially connected to the grid.

Panda Green Energy Group Limited announced last week 50MW of the 100MW project is now exporting solar electricity. When complete, the company says the facility will generate 3.2 billion kWh of electricity over 25 years, equivalent to avoiding the burning of 1.056 million tons of coal and 2.74 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

The darker parts of the solar farm’s layout are made up of monocrystalline solar panels and the lighter areas are thin film solar modules.

Similar plants will be constructed by Panda Green Energy over the next 5 years in “Belt and Road” countries under its Panda 100 Program. The company has also reached strategic cooperation agreements with the Republic of Fiji, the Republic of the Philippines and other developing countries to jointly promote the concept. Fiji’s Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama has said he hopes to have a Panda Power Plant in his country soon.

Fiji Panda Power Plant Concept

The Panda Power Plant project was incorporated into the action plan promoting “Belt and Road” construction signed by the Chinese government and the United Nations in May this year.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and China Merchants New Energy (Panda Green Energy’s major shareholder) launched a global promotion program of panda-shaped solar power plants in September last year. Part of that program will see the two working together to promote new energy via youth summer camps and open innovation design contests.

In China, the panda is regarded as a symbol of friendship and peace.

Last year, Panda Green Energy (then known as United PV), connected 100MW of (non-panda shaped) solar projects in Datong. These are part of China’s Top Runner Program, which mandates a certain amount of solar farm capacity is constructed each year using panels meeting Top Runner efficiency standards.

United PV won the 2016 Chinese Top Runner Outstanding Enterprises Award and the Datong project was also nominated for the “Best Solar Power Plants in 2016” award.