Chinese Government provides a RMB 10 million grant — via a December 2003 ETCA — for the acquisition of 16 services cars and 500 sets of solar water heaters (Linked to Record ID#41006)

Project narrative

On December 15, 2003, the Chinese Government and the Government of Lebanon signed an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), in which the Chinese Government committed RMB 10 million in grant funding for unspecified purposes. The grant proceeds were ultimately used for the acquisition of service cars for CDR and solar energy heating systems for Lebanon's Ministry of Energy and Water. The donated solar water heaters were produced by Beijing Tsinghua Solar Co., Ltd.. The donated vehicles were produced by Chery Automobile Co. Ltd. On August 18, 2005, the Chinese Government officially handed over the 16 vehicles and 500 sets of solar water heaters to the Lebanese Government. The two government signed the project handover certificate the same day. Upon receiving the solar water heaters, Lebanon's Ministry of Energy and Water assigned the Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC), to install the heaters. Two Chinese solar experts held an intensive training workshop organized by Lebanon's Ministry of Energy and Water on the use of the heaters in February 2006. The solar water heaters were installed during the third quarter of 2006 in the non-occupied areas of South Lebanon, specifically in the districts of Bint Jbeil, Jezzine, Hasbaya, Sour, Marjeyoun, and Nabatiyeh. During the 2006 Lebanon War (also known as the 2006 Israel–Hezbollah War, the July War, the Second Lebanon War), 190 of these solar water heaters were destroyed.