Date Announced: 02 Jun 2010 On the second anniversary of China’s devastating earthquake in Sichuan Province, the 1000 Village Solar LED Project jointly developed by The Climate Group and the Jet Li One Foundation launched a major initiative in Ping’an village of Pengzhou County in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan. The initiative will install 155 solar LED streetlights in 20 rural Chengdu villages whose buildings and streets were ravaged by the recent earthquake.The 1000 Village Solar LED Project is a global social lighting program that aims to develop practical operational models, environmental policies, and technical solutions to facilitate the wide diffusion of solar power LED lighting in rural areas where outdoor lighting is lacking. The initiative will set up 1000 solar LED village demonstration pilots, initially throughout China, using a collaborative approach that partners local governments, technical supporters and other concerned organizations with The Climate Group and its donors.Since August 2009, when the 1000 Village Initiative was inaugurated in southwestern China’s Guizhou Province, demonstration programs have been set up in 50 villages in the rural areas of the following municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Chengdu, Guiyang and Sanya.The International Energy Agency estimates that lighting accounts for 19% of global electricity consumption, and 9% of total global CO2 emissions. Although China is implementing new village development throughout the country, many rural roads in China still have only limited access to lighting. Hence, solar LED lighting can fulfill important village social needs after dark, as well as avoid future CO2 emissions.In partnership with The Climate Group, Kingsun Optoelectronic Co, Ltd., based in Dongguan, Guondong Province, helped to kick start the Sichuan initiative in Ping’an County by donating 178 solar LED luminaires for the demonstration pilots in Chengdu and Chongqing, as well. More than 10,000 rural residents in 20 villages will benefit from the initiative. Another company joining the partnership is Zhuhai Leadsun Electronic Technology Co., Ltd., based in Zhuhai, Guondong Province, which will donate up to 50 solar LED luminaires for the demonstration pilots in Chengdu and Guiyang, as well. Many of the solar LED luminaire modules incorporate intelligent lighting control systems, which feature dimming controls as well as on-off time controls. The integration of these smart controls will increase energy efficiency, keep the lights off after midnight when most rural residents are asleep, and switch them on early in the morning to keep pace with local farming lifestyles.Changhua Wu, Greater China Director of The Climate Group, said, “We hope to increase people’s awareness of solar power lighting and promote its application through the demonstration program, so that capital costs and greenhouse emissions will both be reduced over time.”Yuan Jiakai, supervisor of the strategic planning of Jet Li One Foundation, said: “Jet Li One Foundation’s programs focus especially on post-earthquake reconstruction and environmental protection. Since China has more than 220,000 villages, it is imperative to apply renewable and efficient energy to improve their lives.”Party secretary Tong Guorong of Ao’ping County praised the 1000-Village Solar LED Initiative: “Promoting the demonstration program is in both the interests of Chengdu’s green economy and people’s lives.”About The Climate GroupThe Climate Group (www.theclimategroup.org) is an independent, not-for-profit organization working internationally with government and business leaders to advance smart policies and technologies to cut global emissions and accelerate a low carbon economy. Its global coalition of companies, states, regions and cities around the world recognize the economic and environmental imperatives of taking decisive action now. The Climate Group was founded in 2004 and has operations in Australia, China, Europe, India and North America. The Climate Group was officially registered in China in 2007 and has offices located in Beijing and Hong Kong.About the Jet Li One FoundationJet Li One Foundation (www.onefoundation.cn/en_index.php ) was founded by Red Cross ambassador Jet Li, under a strategic partnership with the Red Cross Society of China. The Foundation believes that: “1 person + 1 dollar/yuan + 1 month = 1 big family”. If each person donates at least one dollar/yuan each month, individual donations can be transformed into a much greater fund. Starting in China, the Foundation’s goal is to build a sustainable, professional, and trustworthy future that encourages social sector development and encourage mass participation in philanthropic giving and volunteerism. “When we combine our charitable strength, we can make sure that the most vulnerable members of our global family will receive the help they need”, says Jet Li. About Kingsun Optoelectronic Co., Ltd.Kingsun Optoelectronic Co., Ltd. is a leading Chinese LED company based in Dongguan, Guandong Province that has since 1998 been manufacturing a variety of LED lamp products, which today includes streetlight products that are distributed worldwide.
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