China builds solar-power air conditioners

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BEIJING, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- China says it is producing solar-powered air conditioners that can also send excess electricity to a power grid, with the first 50,000 units going to America.

The air conditioner, developed by Gree Electric Appliances, mainly uses solar power, using normal electricity only when solar power is inadequate, said Huang Hui, chief engineer at Gree, Xinhua reported Wednesday.

With the American government supporting efforts to send excess solar energy to local power grids, the model should be popular in America, Huang said.

China, as both a major producer and consumer of air conditioners, provides great market potential for solar-powered air conditioners, he said.

A second generation of the model to be produced in 2011 will be 100-percent solar-powered and run without producing any emissions, Huang said.