UNIDO International Solar Energy Center for Technology Promotion and Transfer

In 1968, the First Applied Solar Cooker was invented in Pingliang, Gansu province, and demonstrated and promoted in small scale.
In 1974, Gansu Science and Technology Bureau Solar Energy Coordination Group was set up, which was the first national governmental organization.
In 1976, the First National Applied Flat Solar Water Heater was invented by Gansu Science and Technology Bureau Solar Energy Coordination Group. In the same year, the First Biased Solar Cooker with Cement Casing was invented in Gannan, Gansu province, which has been promoted into application in small scale.
In 1977, the First Bathroom Powered by Solar Water Heater was set up in Gansu Science and Technology Bureau.
In 1978, the First National Salt Water Solar Pond was built in Minqin by GNERI and taken on experiment, which was paid wide attention by the global solar field. Prof. Nilson, an American solar pond expert, came to Lanzhou for technology exchange and cooperation. Moreover, the experts from Israel and other countries also took visits to Lanzhou for the technology exchange and cooperation.
In 1978, the First National Solar Heat Building was designed and built up by GNERI, which lied in the Chongxin, Minqin County, a place near the Badan Jilin Desert. The solar building is a passive one with 110 m2, at the same time, the test of thermal performance of radiant floorheating and test of gravel heat storage having been executed also.
In 1979, the First National Solar Energy Annual Conference held in Xi’an, on which the participants initiated that the First National Solar Energy Middle Test Base would be set up in Lanzhou.
In 1979, the First National Phase Transformation Energy Storage Technology and the related facilities successfully put into practical application by GNERI. Also in the same year, the First National High Temperature Cooking Phase Transformation Energy Storage Set was put into application.
Around 1980, Georage Lof, former Chairman of American Solar Energy Association, came to Lanzhou for technical exchange.
In 1980, after strict investigation by Chinese Government and United Nations, GNERI was confirmed to take responsibility of the First Solar Energy Programme.? From 1980 to 1984, the Solar Energy Heating and Cooling Technology Experiment and Demonstration Base was built up in the outskirt of Lanzhou, which is the biggest solar energy center in Asia.
In 1983, the First National Heat Function Outdoor Test Set of Flat Solar Collector was set up by GNERI.
In 1983, the Japanese Government donated a 10KWp County Level Solar Power Plant to Yuanzi village, Yuzhong County of Lanzhou, which is the biggest one set up in the rural place of our country. It actively promoted and demonstrated the development and utilization of solar power in China.
In 1984, the solar energy entity—Xifang Solar Energy Cooperation was set up in Tianshui, which was the first national company set up by both scientific research institute and the enterprise.
In 1984, the First Tibetan Solar Energy Technology Training Course sponsored by Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Agriculture was launched in Lanzhou Solar Energy Base, 35 trainees from Tibet, Gansu, Sichuan and Qinghai etc. attended the training. After that, GNERI held more than 70 training courses, such as solar building design, Rural Energy Resource development and utilization, coal-saving oven, etc., more than 10 thousand trainees from all over the country attended the training.
In 1984, Solar Building Design Handbook was published which was the first national handbook about the solar building design compiled by GNERI.
From 1985 on, 5 groups of the experts and technicians from GNERI went to Tibet and built the first national solar buildings in Shiquanhe, as well as designed and built 6 PV television transposer stations in Gaize, Geji, Geer and Cuoqin which locates in the snow-covered plateau with more than 4500 meters.
In 1985, the Stainless Steel Antifreeze Solar Heater designed by GNERI was awarded the Golden Prize , which is the first national prize of solar energy products.
In 1985, the First National Solar Drying House designed by GNERI was built up in Dunhuang, Gansu.
In 1985, the First National Solar Building Design Institute was founded in GNERI.
In 1986, designed by GNERI, the First National Indoor Solar Cooker passed the technical appraisal.
In 1986, the national biggest Solar Teaching Buildings were built up in Gannan Hezuo Teachers College.
In 1986, designed by GNERI, the First National One-way Heat Transfer Wall Test Set passed the technical appraisal.
In 1987, the national largest Residential Solar Buildings was built up in Linxia, Gansu.
In 1988, the programme of PV Application System Development in Western China(CPR/88/002) was executed in Gansu, Qinhai, Tibet and Mongolia etc. by GNERI. Different Solar PV systems were set up and some advanced PV experiment building was set up. The programme is the prelude of the application of solar PV in western China.
In 1989, the International Solar Energy Technology Workshop was held in Lanzhou which is also the first one held by China.
In 1991, the Chinese Government and United Nations sponsored GNERI to hold the First International Solar Energy Technology Training Course.
In 1991, Passive Solar Building Technology Research offered by GNERI obtained the prize of Progress by the National Science and Technology Commission, which is the first national prize of progress on solar field.
In 1993, sponsored by the former Ministry of Foreign Economy and Trade, GNERI set up the First National Asia-Pacific Solar Energy Research and Training Center.
From 1995, GNERI executed Cuba Single-Silicon PV Battery Producing Line which was assisted by Chinese Government. The project lasts for 8 years, until 2003 the production ability has arrived 2MWp.
In 1996, the First South-South Cooperation Net Conference was successfully held in Lanzhou.
In 1997, the First National Practical Solar Car was successfully developed by GNERI.
On August 1998, Song Jian, the State Counselor inscripted for the 20th Anniversary of GNERI: Developing and utilizing solar energy is the eternal theme of the sustainable development strategy.
On 7th July 2000, Song Ping, the former Standing Member of Political Commission, took a visit to Lanzhou Solar Energy Base.
In 2001, compiled by GNERI, Solar Energy Engineering Technologies was published, which is the first comprehensive monograph in China.
On October 2001, the First National CAD of Solar Building was completed by GNERI after thousands of data were collected and analyzed.
On October 2005, International Solar Energy Symposium in Developing Countries was held in Lanzhou and launched the Lanzhou Declaration, which is the first solar energy conference sponsored by Chinese Government.
On 1st December 2005, the representatives from both UNIDO and Chinese government have formally signed the agreement in Vienna and approved to establish the United Nations Industrial Development Organization International Solar Energy Center for Technology Promotion and Transfer. The ISEC-UNIDO is the unique center in the world specially for solar energy technology R & D, promotion and transfer.
On 26th March 2006, Dr. Kandeh YUMKELLA specially came to Lanzhou to take part in the Launching and Establishment Ceremony of ISEC. Xu Shousheng, Governor of Gansu Province, also attended the ceremony.
On 28 Nov. 2007, after a year’s collaboration and building design, the commencement ceremony of ISEC-UNIDO Building was launched in Zhongxin Tan, Lanzhou. Mr. Lu Hao, Provincial Party Secretary and Chairman of People’s Congress, Mr. Xu Shousheng, Deputy Secretary of Gansu Provincial Party and Governor of Gansu Province and Sajjad AJMAL, Representative of UNIDO attended the ceremony.
On 21 Nov. 2008, the Ceremony of ISEC-UNIDO Building’s Structural Roof-Sealing was held in Zhongxin Tan, Lanzhou. More than 100 people including some retired employees of GNERI / ISEC-UNIDO all took part in the Roof-Sealing Ceremony.


(1) Solar Cooker in 1968	(2)Solar Energy Coordination Group	(3)Biased Solar Cooker

(3)Solar Cooker in Longnan, Gansu	(4) Solar Bathroom built in 1977	(5)Solar Pond With Salt Water

(6)Solar Building in Minqin, Gansu? 1	(6) Solar Building in Minqin, Gansu 2	(9)Lecture by 伯尔克姆讲学

(9) Lecture by George Lof ?1	(9) Lecture by George Lof ?2	(9)Lecture by Nilson

(10)Solar Energy Demonstration Base	(10)Experiment field in Solar Base	(10)Experiment Building in Solar Base

(11)Test flat of Heat Collector	(11)Lof concentrated himself on the facilities	(12) 10KW PV Station in Yuanzi County

(13)Tianshui Xifang Solar Energy Company	(14)PV Training	(14)PV Training Course

(14)Lessons on Coalsaving Bed	(15)Solar Building Design Handbooks	(16) TV Transposer Station in Gaize

(16)TV Transposer Station in Ali, Tibet	(16)Solar buildings in Tibet	(16) TV Transposer Station in Gaize

(16)Shiquanhe in Tibet	(16)Solar Buildings in Tibet	(16)Solar Buildings in Tibet

(16) Another TV Transposer Station in Tibet	(17)Stainless-steel Solar Heater Arrays	(18)Solar Dryers in Dunhuang, Gansu

(20)Experiment Set of Indoor Solar Cooker	(21)Solar Buildings in Hezuo Teachers College	(22)One-way Heat Transfer Wall? 1

(22) One-way Heat Transfer Wall? 2	(23)Solar Buildings in Linxia, Gansu	(24)PV Buildings in Solar Base

(25)International Conference in 1989	(26)The 1st International Solar Energy Course	(26) The 1st International Solar Energy Course

(27)National Progress Prize of S&T	(28)Group Photo in Solar Energy Base	(28)Solar Energy Training Center

(29)PV Station in Cuba? 1	(29) PV Station in Cuba 2	(29) PV Station in Cuba ?3

(29) PV Station in Cuba ?4	(29) PV Station in Cuba ?5	(29) PV Station in Cuba 6

(30)The First South-South Cooperation Net Conference	(31)Solar Car 1	(31)Solar Car? 2

(32)Inscription by Song Jian	(33)Visiting of the President from Mali	(33) Visitings

(33)Visiting of Song Ping	(34)Solar Energy Engineering Technology	(35)CAD Technology Appraisal

(36)Lanzhou Declaration in 2005	(36) Specially Invited Experts of Lanzhou Declaration	(38) Launching and Establishment Ceremony of ISEC

（39）commencement ceremony of ISEC-UNIDO Building	（40）Ceremony of ISEC-UNIDO Building’s Structural Roof-Sealing