Under the agreement, CTDC, a provider of solar energy products and solutions in China focusing on a-Si thin film technology, and QNE, will design, construct and manage the solar power station.

The installed power-generating capacity of the first phase of Qaidam solar power station come to 30 MW – the total long-term objective of the project is up to 1 GW. The solar power station, said to be the first of its kind in China integrating crystalline silicon and thin-film solar modules, could be the largest on-grid solar power station in China on completion.

CTDC and QNE will begin construction of the project in 2009 with an initial investment of US$150 million.

“The ambitious plan to build such as large scale solar power plant is a significant step for Qinghai Province to develop and deploy solar energy by taking full advantage of our abundance in solar and desert resources of Qaidam Basin,” says Luo Yulin, Vice Governor of Qinhas Province and Mayor of Xining. “It also reflects the commitment by our government to meet the challenges posed by climate change with reliable and renewable energy.”

“With the recognition and commitment of Chinese government to developing renewable energy technology, we expect that domestic solar energy and application market will expand rapidly in the near future,” adds Alan Li, Chairman and CEO of CTDC.