Society

Remote villages see light with solar

By Chen Qide (China Daily Shanghai Bureau)
Updated: 2010-05-19 14:56

A project to equip 1,000 remote villages in China, India and Africa with solar-powered road lamps is powering ahead with lightening speed.

Some farmers in Chengdu, Sichuan province and Chongqing already have access to lighting, said Liu Jinlan, assistant to chairman of the Kingsun Optoelectronic.

"Effort will be made to push it forward," said Liu at Tuesday's press conference for the 4th international road lamp, patio lamp and outdoor lighting fair 2010 at Shanghai Everbright Convention and Exhibition Center on September 15.

"The three-day event, aiming to display the world's latest lighting technologies and equipment, will be a stimulus to the ongoing five-year project," she said.

The project is expected to cost an investment of 100 million yuan which will be collected by the Jet Lee One Foundation.

Kingsun will provide equipment for those villages at prices equal to their production costs, said Liu.

As part of China's green energy programme, the project will echo the efforts the country has made to push forward the urban green lighting, said Wang Dengyun, vice president of Guangzhou Grandeur Exhibition Services.

Therefore, a summit on public lighting will be held at the fair to discuss the issues on the development of lighting resources, energy-saving policies and management experience, Wang said.