Aptiv going green with new power-generation project

Li Huangcheng
and Tom Qian

The first phase of the photovoltaic power generation facilities construction project for Aptiv, a global technology leader, has been completed and connected to the state grid.

A total of 33,000 square meters of embedded photovoltaic power generation equipment and 5,940 solar panels are being installed on the roofs of Aptiv¡¯s factories, which is as large as four soccer fields.

Aptiv is implementing a self-generated and self-used surplus electricity connected to the grid approach to maximize power generation areas on factory roofs and building a 3.2-megawatt distributed photovoltaic power generation system.

The photovoltaic power generation system uses the photovoltaic effect of solar cells to convert solar energy into direct current, transform into alternating current through inverter and integrate into the national grid.

The company¡¯s current utilization rate of photovoltaic power generation is 10 percent of its overall electricity consumption.

The facility is projected to provide nearly 3 million kilowatt-hours of electricity every year, saving about 2.42 million yuan (US$372,308) in electricity costs and reducing carbon emissions by 2,400 tons.

¡°On the one hand, adopting a photovoltaic power generation system will help us save on production costs. On the other, it will help us build a low-carbon park and achieve green and high-quality development,¡± said Shen Guoliang, general manager of Aptiv Connector China. ¡°We will kick off the second phase of the project, covering 20,000 square meters, which is expected to save about 1.6 million yuan in electricity costs after it¡¯s up and running in the third quarter.¡±

According to Jiading Power Supply Company, more than 1,400 households use grid integration of photovoltaic power generation in Jiading, with a capacity of 160,000 kilowatts. Almost 250 companies are also connected to the grid.