Netherlands shows China path to sustainable development

The Netherlands will spend more than 250 million euros ($352.75 million) in China on environmental projects that contribute to reduction of greenhouse gasses, according to the Dutch embassy in China.

The projects are being implemented within the framework of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) arrangement of the Kyoto Protocol.

The first CDM project in China was the Inner Mongolia Wind farm project, a Dutch CDM program initiative.

Within the same framework, the Netherlands is also involved in a number of other projects related to biomass, biogas installations, methane extraction, on-site power generation and waste dumping.

The Netherlands has a long history in wind energy and is ready to share its expertise with China.

KV Connections BV is one of the Dutch companies involved in the CDM projects in China. With knowledge in the field of sustainable energy, especially wind energy, for 12 years and almost 20 years of operations in China, the company's core business is security and environmental projects. It has played an active role in promoting cooperation between China and the Netherlands in the energy and environment sectors.

For the last 12 years, KV Connections has collaborated with its Chinese partners in Baoding, a city in North China's Hebei Province, also called "China's Electric Valley", to help harness wind energy.

KV Connection helps establish production facilities to manufacture wind blades with Dutch design and spare parts and import technologies in the field of renewable energy.

Recently, the company has signed an agreement with the renowned ECN (Energy Center Netherlands) to enhance and study wind power research and testing.

At present, there are four Chinese wind blade factories and two solar module manufacturers in Baoding. The longest blades the local factories can produce are up to 40 meters long and even longer ones are expected to come out very soon.

These projects are supported by the Chinese Central Government and the Dutch industry is working at new developments like wind turbine manufacturing.

During the trade mission to China led by the Dutch International Trade Minister Heemskerk in July, KV Connections together with other Dutch companies concerned signed an agreement with the Baoding city government to explore the possibility of setting up a Sino-Dutch Wind Energy Research Center in the city.

This was preceded by a memorandum of understanding signed in the presence of Dutch officials last October.

The Chinese authorities have long valued eco-system preservation and have intensified efforts to address environmental issues.

Following an international environment conference held in Beijing in October 1990, the Chinese Government established a high level non-governmental advisory organization - the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) - in 1992, seeking "to further strengthen cooperation and exchange between China and the international community in the field of environment and development."

For the past several years, the council has been successful in articulating high-level advice and assisting Chinese decision-makers to better understand the relation between environmental protection and economic development.

Since 2001, the Netherlands has been mainly involved through a development cooperation program, extending 700,000 euros ($865,900) financial aid to the council and its working groups.

(Shanghai Start 09/28/2007 page2)