Tibet Gets Solar Project
A 2.1-megawatt (MW) off-grid solar project will be constructed in the northern region of Tibet called Naqu. This will be the largest off-grid solar installation built in the area in years. (Smaller solar power stations were built in the Chamdo region in 2002.) Building off-grid systems may be favorable for such areas, due to the ruggedness of the terrain and large distances between population centers.
Naqu prefecture is higher than 4,500 meters, and covers over 400,000 square kilometers. Each year, it receives about 2,900 hours of sunlight and has clear air, so photovoltaics are a good choice for renewable energy there. In addition to the mountain peaks and extreme elevation, the area has basins, lakes, rivers, and forests. It is also one of the few areas of Tibet were crops are cultivated effectively.
Naqu has a population of several hundred thousand and is an economic hub. The world’s highest airport is being built there, and should be finished by 2014. Even though the region has a relatively high economic output, conventional distributed power is lacking in some areas.
“We are very pleased to have been selected by Longyuan (Tibet) for the Naqu project. Quality irradiance in this highly elevated region underscores its suitability for such a project. We are committed to providing quality products and excellent service in implementing this project, which we believe can benefit the local population,” said Jifan Gao, Chairman and CEO of Trina Solar.
Trina Solar Limited will supply the solar panels and related technology for the project to Longyuan Power Group Co., Ltd. Longyuan will handle the construction, management and operation.
Source: MarketWatch
Image Credit: Carla Antonini, Wiki Commons
Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Want to advertise? Want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.
Latest CleanTechnica.TV Video
CleanTechnica uses affiliate links. See our policy here.
