Can you imagine the excitement of replacing kerosene lamps, the primary and traditional source of lighting in the Shaanxi Province, China, with electric light powered by solar energy? Applied Materials has contributed to this historical milestone by participating in the Shaanxi Province’s Sun-Sun Project, which has resolved the access to electricity for numerous rural families by supplying stand-alone solar power generation systems.

The Sun-Sun Project, launched by the Shaanxi Provincial Government in August 2009, was executed by the Shaanxi Regional Electric Power Group. After conducting a comprehensive study, solar energy turned out to not only be an environmentally friendly, but also cost-effective solution when compared to the price of installing conventional fossil electricity infrastructures in this remote mountain area.

Installation of the solar systems was completed in September 2009 in Yongshou County. By the end of January 2010, the final family set aside their kerosene lamps and welcomed the new life with electricity generated by solar energy. The largest solar application in Shaanxi Province, this project benefits about 13,500 families and drew significant attention from the Chinese Central Government as well.

As a strategic partner of Shaanxi Province, Applied Materials played an important role in the Sun-Sun Project by providing technical consulting services. Our SunFab Module Reliability Testing Lab also helped ensure the quality and reliability of panels and systems used in the project. In addition, Applied Materials donated 150 off-grid solar power generation systems as part of its philanthropic efforts in Xi’an, Shaanxi.

In the past, people have always described solar energy as an environmentally friendly and renewable, but very high-cost solution. Thanks to continued technology advancement and cost-per-watt reduction efforts over the past 30+ years, solar energy has already become a cost competitive solution to address part of the energy market. It's strongly believed that through a joint effort of worldwide policy makers, photovoltaic (PV) industry manufacturers and research institutions, solar energy is becoming a mainstream, cost-competitive energy solution that will further improve the way people live around the world.