ABB China and Erdos Electric Power Bureau jointly held an inauguration ceremony for anti-desertification project phase I.

The project started in 2007 and will last for three years.It will be carried out by ABB China, Inner Mongolia Electric Power (Group) Co., Ltd and its subsidiary Erdos Electric Power Bureau, aiming to improve Inner Mongolia's environment and to build a green barrier for Beijing.

"ABB and IMEPGC are close partners in business, and also share the similar values about social responsibility. When the environmental project that would benefit both Inner Mongolia and Beijing was raised, both parties have readily put into action. And due to the support of Erdos Electric Power Bureau, we finally decided to implement this project here." Liu Wenhui, vice president of ABB China said at the ceremony.

To protect the environment of Beijing and to realize a Green Olympics, ABB launched an initiative in Beijing in 2007, and called on its staff in five companies to donate for the anti-desertification work. Donations of CNY300,000 and another CNY300,000 from Erdos Electric Power Bureau were contributed to China Green Foundation for the capital management of a special fund.

The anti-desertification project adopts eco sand barriers and planting trees and grass to fix sand hills. It is predicted the project phase I will increase vegetation coverage in the summer to 65% and above; and vegetation coverage will steadily remain at 50% one year later. In the next two years, ABB and EEPB will further their cooperation and carry out projects phase II and phase III. Sand in an area of 10,000 Chinese acres is expected to be brought under control when the whole project is finished.

Inner Mongolia is one of the important energy suppliers in China, and one-third of the total electricity of Beijing comes from there.

ABB is a global leader in the power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. It has more than 12,800 employees in China in over 60 cities providing services to 26 local companies and 38 sales and service branches.