In view of the fact that the Beijing Olympics’ Opening Ceremony will occur in less than two weeks, now’s a good a time as ever to take a look at some of the most important solar projects China’s been developing for the world’s largest sporting event. After all, Beijing has pledged three megawatts of solar power for the Olympics, although Beijing’s total solar power investment could be even greater—six megawatts—according to the vice-president of one of the solar companies installing systems on one of the Olympic venues. With 80 to 90 percent of the streetlights around the Olympic venues and 90 percent of the water in the Olympic Village all powered by the sun, the seven main Olympic stadiums being outfitted by solar generators and the roofs of Beijing’s National Indoor Stadium (not the same as the Beijing National Olympic Stadium!) being covered with 1,100 solar panels, this number doesn’t seem entirely unrealistic.

Take the Beijing National Olympic Stadium, for instance. Dubbed the “Bird’s Nest” for its circular, latticework structure, the stadium signed a $10 million RMB (now $1.47 million USD) contract in April 2006 with Chinese solar company Suntech Power to install a 130-kilowatt photovoltaic system at 12 stadium entrances. This installation will power the venue alongside its conventional power supply.

The Beijing National Aquatics Center, or, the “Water Cube,” an oblong structure coated with 100,000 square meters of a translucent plastic called ETFE to mimic the appearance of watery bubbles, stands right next to the Bird’s Nest. The ETFE allows in solar heat effectively, which heats up the building efficiently and reduces energy costs by about 30 percent, a great energy-saving measure, considering how much heat is required to heat a pool.

The Olympic Village, too, boasts an impressive solar system—a solar thermal system covering 6,000 square meters that will be able to save 5 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year, according to a press release from the Beijing Olympics website. The installation is part of the Sino-Italian Cooperation Program for Environmental Protection, one of many cooperative projects included in a Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Co-operation signed in 2002 between the Italian ministry and Beijing’s municipal government. The installation will not only supply hot water and electricity to 16,000 Village residents—athletes, coaches, and others—during the Olympics, it will also supply 2,000 households after the Games, as the Olympic Village will be turned into a luxurious residential complex.

Sadly, I am not important enough to gain access to any of these venues before they open to the general public. The closest I can get to the Bird’s Nest or Water Cube is behind several guards and a metal gate, a position from which I can’t take any photos you can’t already find on the official Olympic website. When I return to Beijing in two weeks (I am currently in Shanghai right now) and attend a few events, I will be sure to snap as many pictures as possible! Stay tuned.

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