The Chinese capital is adopting eco-friendly technologies in transportation, power supply, water and waste management to ensure a "green" Olympic Games, according to the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology.

The city plans to use 100 hybrid-electric vehicles as public buses at all venues and several hundred electric vehicles will serve in the logistics departments of the Olympic Village and all stadiums while electric bicycles will be provided in the main Olympic area, according to the press release.

The project also covers Beijing's public transport system, setting a goal of having 80 percent of buses and 70 percent of taxis fueled by clean energy by 2008.

As part of the efforts, 14 electric buses have been running on one bus route for two years in Beijing as a pilot project while 1,300 buses fueled by compressed gas have been put into operation.

Of the two million square meters of buildings used for the Olympics, 26.9 percent will be powered by clean energy like solar energy, wind and geothermal power, the ministry said.

The seven main stadiums in Beijing will be equipped with solar generators with a total capacity of 480kw while 90 percent of the lighting outside the stadiums and hot water supply in the Olympics Village will powered by solar energy.

Beijing will have its first wind power plant by the end of this year with a capacity of 50,000 kw, which will supply main stadiums.

All major Olympics venues are equipped with rainwater collectors and sewage recycling facilities to save water, the ministry said.

And 90 percent of the waste produced in the Olympic areas will be sent to waste plants for sorting and recycling, it said.

To realize these goals, the ministry, the Beijing municipal government and the Olympic organizers have spent 1.86 billion yuan (US$245 million) in research and development of relevant technologies and facilities.

However, the city's environmental problems, particularly air quality, are still worrying many people a year before the Games.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 8, 2007)