26 innovations secure 'Green Olympics' achievement

BEIJING, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Beijing has applied a wide range ofgreen technologies and clean energy in building venues and facilities for the upcoming Olympic Games, according to a press briefing here on Sunday.

These advanced technologies, including water recycling, rainwater utilization, solar photovoltaic power generation, and reclaimed water source heat pumps, could help environmental protection while encouraging technology innovation, said Tan Xuxiang, deputy director of Beijing Municipal Planning Commission. Altogether 26 innovations were achieved during the Olympic preparation period, he added. To fulfill the bidding pledge of "Green Olympics," the Games' organizers used environment-friendly materials in building key venues such as the Olympic Green, the Olympic Village and the Olympic Forest Park, Tan said. A total of 31 competition venues and 45 training venues have been built for the impending Games. They are mainly located in five areas, namely the Olympic Green, the west community, the northern scenic spot area, the university area, and the east community.

Special attention was paid to the protection of cultural relics throughout the construction of all Olympic projects, Tan said, citing the protection and repair of ancient architecture in the Olympic Green zone, such as the Goddess Temple and the Dragon King Temple. Both the location of Olympic stadiums and the selection of competition routes have avoided important water resource conservation areas and natural reserves, he said. The official said that the concept of "Green Olympics" mainly has three implications -- a green environment, "green stadiums" with energy saving features, and the "green consciousness" for the public that endorses environmental protection and a healthy lifestyle. All efforts relating to the promotion of "Green Olympics" will leave a precious heritage for Beijing when the Games are over, he added.

Windpower to provide a fifth of Olympics power supply

BEIJING, July 20 (Xinhua) -- A wind power plant has become operational in suburban Beijing, considered a major step towards making 20 percent of the power supply to the city's Olympic venues during the games wind-generated.

The Guanting Wind Power Plant, beginning operation on Saturday, would not only help fulfil Beijing's promise of a "green Olympics", but symbolize the first-ever large-scale employment of wind power generation project in the Chinese capital, said a spokesman for the project. With an installed capacity of 64,500 kilowatts, the plant has 43 domestically developed wind power units at work.

Since its first unit went into operation on Jan. 20, the plant has supplied 35 million kWh of "green power" to Beijing. It is expected to supply 100 million-kWh electricity per year, enough to meet the daily demand of 100,000 households. The power plant could help cut yearly emission of carbon dioxide by 100,000 tonnes and save 50,000 tonnes of coal each year. The Beijing Olympics opens on Aug. 8.