China Guodian to Invest RMB 5 bln in Tibetan Clean-Energy

BEIJING, Mar. 23 -- China Guodian Corp, a state-owned power giant, intends to spend between RMB 3 billion and RMB 5 billion on clean-energy projects to expand Tibet's installed clean-energy capacity to 200,000 kilowatts in the 12th five-year plan, which will last from 2011 to 2015.

The enterprise recently kicked off construction on a 10-megawatt photovoltaic project and on Phase Two of a 1,000-kilowatt geothermal power project in Tibet Autonomous Region.

The PV project will cost RMB 220 million and be complete within ten months, while the geothermal power project, which will cost RMB 13 million, will be put into operation after five months.

A senior officer said that the two projects are designed to generate a total of 542.5 million kWh of electricity in the 25 years after completion, the same amount that would be generated by burning 189,875 tons of coal. The two clean-energy projects will thus reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 500,000 tons, sulfur dioxide emissions by 2,331 tons, nitrogen oxide emissions by 3,780 tons, dust pollution by 150 tons and production of other types of industrial waste by 51,156 tons.

According to China Guodian's website, the firm currently has 13 subsidiaries, 16 branch offices and two research and development institutes. As of the end of last year, the power giant's total installed capacity amounted to 82.03 million kW.