The precarious situation of the giant panda has turned it into one of the most powerful symbols of the ecological revolution. Even the World Wildlife Fund uses a panda as its logo, but the China Merchants New Energy Group has decided to go further. Working together with the United Nations Development Programme, this clean energy provider has just brought online a new 50-megawatt solar power station shaped like a giant panda.
A Symbol of Conservation
The International Union for Conservation of Nature changed the classification of the giant panda in 2016, moving it from endangered to vulnerable. This means that the number of individuals has increased, but there is still much work to be done. Technically, the dragon is the national animal of China, yet internationally that position is held by the panda. The mammal's crisis has been associated, on more than one occasion, with global ecological deterioration. With such huge communication potential, the China Merchants New Energy Group decided to further expand the panda's presence with a very particular project: A new solar station that adopts its shape.
The Panda Station Details
The station is located in the city of Datong, in the province of Shanxi, and covers an area of about one hundred hectares. Its first phase went online on June 30 and has an initial capacity of 50 megawatts, which will be increased to 100 megawatts once the project is completed. Official information indicates a cost of 54.4 million dollars, and over 25 years it will generate 3.2 billion kilowatt-hours (enough for 1.6 million homes at an average of 2,000 kWh each).
The construction of the «Panda Station» received support from the United Nations Development Programme, and one of its main objectives is to convey to the youngest the enormous value of solar energy and its critical role in China's ecological development. That process will include special summer camps near the stations.
