LONGi, the star of solar energy at COP28 delivers clean energy action

DUBAI / GULF TIME

Amidst the fanfare of COP28 negotiations between countries, the range of pledges for future action towards addressing climate change, and calls for more action across the board of climate issues, COP28 has also seen a refreshing amount of solutions that are already underway. One company leading this charge is the world’s largest solar photovoltaic producer LONGi.
LONGi has had a significant presence at the COP28 summit with executives announcing several major partnerships and new initiatives. LONGi Founder and President Li Zhenguo spoke with media at a December 8 event highlighting an impressive range of achievements from rolling out solar at an affordable and abundant scale, the company’s efforts to reduce their own emissions, a strategy for advancing hydrogen energy, and even initiatives using solar to aid in UN humanitarian efforts and wildlife conservation efforts.
“As a global leader in solar technology,” noted Li Zhenguo, “I recognize the pivotal role that solar energy must play in addressing the climate crisis. Solar energy, harnessed through photovoltaic products, is one of the cleanest forms of energy available today. Silicon, the main carrier of solar energy, also boasts remarkable efficiency. The entire PV system, with a lifespan exceeding 30 years, yields over 100 times the energy consumed in its production.”
LONGi’s range of activities highlighted at the event reinforced the company’s position as a leader in sustainable development through clean energy and its expertise in delivering affordable solar power at scale.
One especially bright note was on the company’s plans for expanding hydrogen power. While solar photovoltaics (PV) will play a pivotal role in realizing global carbon neutrality goals on the electricity front, other forms of clean energy such as hydrogen need to see major breakthroughs in other sectors. By 2050, solar PV power is envisioned to account for nearly half of the power system dominated by renewable energy.
Hydrogen is an attractive solution, but its production often requires large amounts of energy. LONGi is implementing what it calls “green hydrogen” by using solar and other clean energy sources to produce hydrogen. As outlined in the UN’s “Guiding Principles for Climate-Aligned Hydrogen Deployment,” using renewable energy for “green hydrogen” production aligns strictly with the 1.5-degree Celsius temperature control goal. Although the global proportion of green hydrogen remains below 1 percent, we believe that it will become an inevitable choice for deep decarbonization, primarily in the transportation sector.
The concepts of using clean energy to produce clean energy in LONGi’s operations don’t just stop at the production of hydrogen. The company also released a white paper at COP28 highlighting a range of emissions reductions in their business. The report shows how LONGi slashed operational emissions per revenue unit by nearly 40 percent in 2022. Additionally, the report highlights how 47 percent of LONGi’s total electricity consumption is now sourced from sustainable alternatives, eliminating approximately 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions just from their own operations.
As the world’s largest PV producer hailing from China, the country with the majority of global PV production capacity, LONGi has an increasingly vital role in helping supply the world’s solar product needs. China, in fact holds 80 percent of the world’s solar manufacturing capacity. In 2023, China is expected to produce 400GW of solar module capacity, equivalent to the power yield of two Three Gorges Dams. Li Zhenguo affirmed LONGi’s commitment to not just to manufacture solar technology but leverage its unique position to facilitate the energy transformation process worldwide.
Li Zhenguo also elaborated on the company’s energy equity efforts including a pioneering three-year partnership with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to transform the agency’s logistics centers into solarized facilities, and providing clean energy support and skills training to UNHCR refugee camps around the world.
“LONGi and our new partners are jointly working to champion sustainable development, energy equity, and environmental resilience on a global scale,” said Li Zhenguo, “LONGi strives to be a key player in addressing climate challenges and fostering a more eco-friendly and equitable future through both research and development of solar technology and in our partnerships and sustainability commitments. This is a critical juncture, demanding a collective effort from individuals, governments, and businesses alike adequately address climate change. Solar energy and hydrogen will play a crucial role in this, and LONGi is committed to not only meeting the demands of the present but also addressing the challenges of tomorrow.”