Agi Veres, country director of UNDP China and Alan Li, chairman and CEO of United PV, at the opening ceremony for the project. Source: United PV

United PV and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have partnered to jointly launch the “Panda Solar Power Plant” that promotes both youth engagement and sustainable development.

The plant will have a total installed capacity of 50MW and be built to resemble a giant panda; the national Chinese emblem, spanning more than 600 hectares. The plant will be comprised of monocrystalline silicon solar cells and thin-film solar cells to resemble a panda from aerial view. The project is to be entirely constructed and funded by United PV.

The inauguration of the programme was held in the Bejing office of the UN on 1 September and was attended by many party officials including Agi Veres, country director of UNDP in China, Sarah Kemp, minister-counsellor of commerce from the US Embassy in China and Li Junfeng, director of the National Centre for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation.

Through the 'Panda Solar Power Plant', United PV and the UNDP aim to carry on the ambitions displayed at the Paris Agreement and promote the popularisation of sustainable development, in particular, amongst the younger generation. The programme is not only a direct vehicle for UN incentive on climate change, but will also be promoted by government groups, enterprises and the wider community.

The project received considerable international support, including participation from First Solar, SunPower, IBM, Apple Inc, Huawei, Sungrow, Powerchina and LONGI, according to a statement by United PV. 

Last year, US utility Duke Energy Florida said it would construct a Mickey Mouse-shaped solar facility near the Walt Disney World resort in Florida.