A new solar farm in China is making waves on social media for its unique design. Built over an area of 248 acre, this new solar farm has been designed in the shape of a panda. The first phase, which includes one 50-megawatt plant, was completed on June 30, PV magazine reported. The grid will have a capacity of 100MW when fully connected it will generate 3.2 billion kWh of green electricity in 25 years.
“A 100MW Panda Power Plant can provide 3.2 billion [kilowatt-hours] of green electricity in 25 years, equivalent to saving 1.056 million tons of coal, or reducing 2.74 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions,” China Merchants New Energy Group, which has launched this project, said.
The project just began delivering power to a grid in northwestern China, and a second panda is planned for later this year. “By designing the solar power station into the pattern of a panda, we aim to stimulate teenagers’ interest and enthusiasm for solar energy application,” company’s CEO Alan Li is reported to have said at the 2016 G20 Energy Ministerial Meeting.
The project is backed by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and will play a crucial role to engage young people in sustainable development. The project will help eliminate approximately million tons of coal that would have been used to produce electricity reduce carbon emissions by around 2.74 million tons.
The project is part of a larger effort to raise awareness among young people in China about clean energy, the UNDP wrote in a statement.The group is planning to build more panda-shaped solar plants throughout China in the next five years.
