CHINA SOLAR COOKER - Heqing Solar Cooker Project I & II

“Heqing Solar Cooker Project” is located on the rural area of Zhangye, Gansu province in northwestern China. The project has installed 49,000 solar cookers for the rural residents.

Coal is overwhelmingly the main energy source for rural residents in this region of China. The proposed project will enable the rural residents to efficiently substitute solar energy for the fossil fuel (coal) used in daily cooking and water boiling, avoiding CO₂ emission that would be generated by fossil fuel consumption. It is estimated that 143,762 tCO₂e emission reductions will be produced annually.

The rural area in Zhangye is an underdeveloped region and an ideal region for utilizing solar energy. Located at high altitude, this region has many sunny days. It is one of the most suitable regions in China for utilizing solar energy.

Each participating household pays a small part towards the solar cooker costs, with the majority of the funding coming from carbon finance (individuals and organisations offsetting their emissions). This project demonstrates how carbon finance can be the primary source of funding GHG emission mitigation projects and can directly contribute to sustainable development for the benefit of local communities.

The development of the proposed project will also facilitate sustainable development in the following ways:

• Providing rural residents with a clean, practical and convenient way to meet the energy demand of their daily cooking;
• Improving the indoor hygiene of rural residents;
• Improving the living condition and quality of rural residents;

The project significantly contributes to sustainable development of this region. It serves as a model for future project. It promotes the use of clean energy, educate and train the rural population on solar energy technology, and build awareness in environmental protection among the rural population. 49,000 low-income households / about 196,000 villagers (average household has 4-5 people) directly benefit from the project. The rural residents will get clean and reliable energy supply for their daily cooking.