The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on Tuesday announced that a north China company has become the first Chinese company and also the first photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer to join the WWF's Climate Savers program.

Yingli Green Energy Holding Co., Ltd., a leading solar energy company based in the city of Baoding in north China's Hebei province, is the first Chinese company to set a specific renewable electricity consumption target., the WWF said.

Yingli has agreed to reduce the intensity of its greenhouse gas emissions per megawatt (MW) of PV module production by 13 percent by the end of 2015 in comparison to 2010 levels.

The company also plans to reduce emissions from purchased goods and services per MW of PV module production by 7 percent and to reduce emissions from upstream transportation by 10 percent by the end of 2015.

The Climate Savers program, initiated by the WWF in 1999, now features the participation of 30 member companies that have set targets for emission reduction and are working with other companies, suppliers and partners to implement solutions for a clean, low carbon economy.

Peter Beaudoin, head of WWF's China office, said it is "very demanding" for companies to join the program.

"Companies that agree to set emission-cutting goals and actively promote the application of renewable energy can become member companies," Beaudoin said.

More Chinese companies have launched campaigns to combat climate change, Beaudoin added.

"We are very glad to become the first Chinese company and the first solar manufacturer to join the program," said Miao Liansheng, chairman and CEO of Yingli.

"Yingli is working to provide affordable, green energy to ordinary people while carrying out our company's social and environmental responsibilities to reduce energy consumption and emissions in our production and operations," Miao said.

Yingli also pledged that at least 4 percent of the electricity the company consumes will come from renewable sources, especially solar energy, by the end of 2015.

Renewable energy only accounts for 1 percent of the country's current energy consumption.

Yingli will launch a global solar PV manufacturing standard in 2015 with the support of the WWF in order to promote reduced energy consumption in the PV industry, increase the utilization of renewable energy and reduce emissions.

"Yingli's move demonstrates that Chinese companies are working hard to support the growth of renewable energy. We hope more companies can learn from Yingli to develop their own clean and renewable power plants so as to contribute to emission reduction efforts," said Donald Pols, director of WWF's China for a Global Shift Initiative and a member of Yingli's Climate Savers application review committee.

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