Applied Materials, one of the largest suppliers of the global semiconductor industry, initiated a 56 kilowatt solar power system in Xi'an on March 21 to partly replace the enterprise's internal electricity consumption.

This is the first internal solar power system of an enterprise in Shaanxi Province. It is estimated to help reduce the greenhouse emissions by 65 tons each year. As one of the largest nano manufacturers of the world, Applied Materials announced plans to enter the solar power photoelectricity equipment market in September 2006.

It is estimated that world's solar power equipment market value will increase to over US$3 billion in 2010 from US$1 billion in 2006.

China has rich solar power resource and two-thirds of its territory has sunshine for over 2200 hours each year. Applied Materials says it hopes to cooperate with Chinese solar power enterprises to reduce the influence on the environment while meeting the country's increasing energy demand.