According to the authorized government portal site, China.org, solar power is being recruited to heat the in-flight meals of up to 30,000 passengers.
Building on a system first used during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the process is based on solar hot water technology and currently produces 100 tons of hot water every day, enough to heat 18,000 in-flight meals.
Under the Beijing municipal government’s green energy plan, the airport’s system will eventually produce 315 tons of hot water per day through solar power, which could help heat 25,000 to 30,000 airplane meals.
It’s an interesting application of solar power, but certainly not the only project on the boards for the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform (BMCDR).
The BMCDR also announced earlier this week it planned to construct a 20,000 kW rooftop solar panel based power generation project, a 50,000 kW on-grid solar farm, a solar campus initiative, a solar thermal water project, a rural solar power project and a solar energy-powered nightscape lighting project – all by 2012
The People’s Daily Online is reporting that by 2012, Beijing will have a total solar collector coverage of around 7,000 hectares. Beijing’s solar energy power generation capacity will total 70 MW by the end of that year, with the electricity generated valued at over AUD 3.17 billion dollars. Energy consumption savings will be equivalent to 900,000 tons of standard coal and represent a carbon dioxide emissions reduction of 1.96 million tons, sulfur dioxide by 59,000 tons and nitrogen oxide by 32,000 tons.
Renewable energy in Beijing is set to reach the 5 percent target by 2012.
