Wang Baixing, Chairman of the Board of Zhongli Group, was honored as one of the “Top Ten New Energy Figures of 2018.”

On December 12, the “2018 International Energy Summit and the 8th Global Top 500 New Energy Enterprises Summit,” co-hosted by China Energy News and the China Institute for Energy Economics, was held in Beijing. This year’s forum was themed “Building on the Past to Usher in a New Journey of Energy Transition,” aiming to assess industry development trends and jointly advance transformative change in the energy sector. During the summit, the “Top Ten New Energy Figures of 2018” were officially announced, with Wang Baixing, Chairman of the Board of Zhongli Group, receiving this distinguished honor.

“The Top Ten New Energy Figures of 2018” was jointly launched by industry‑leading organizations, including China Energy News, the China Institute of Energy, the Chinese Renewable Energy Society, and the China Photovoltaic Industry Association. The selection process evaluates nominees across four dimensions—exemplarity, innovation, influence, and contribution—assessing their role as industry benchmarks and trendsetters, their contributions to economic and social development, and their strong public credibility. The initiative aims to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to advancing clean energy use and the growth of the new‑energy sector, while paying tribute to the leaders who have driven the industry’s transformation and evolution.

In his acceptance speech, Wang Boxing expressed that he felt deeply honored to be named one of the Top Ten Figures of the Year in the New Energy sector. He extended his gratitude to the organizers and to all sectors of society for their support of the photovoltaic industry, as well as for their recognition and concern for Zhongli Group. He pledged to continue driving innovation and development, making new contributions toward realizing the Chinese Dream of clear waters and lush mountains.

Wang Boxing outlined Zhongli Group’s achievements and experience in “photovoltaics plus agriculture” applications and photovoltaic‑based poverty alleviation. He noted that since entering the photovoltaic sector in 2010, the company has placed great emphasis on innovating the practical deployment of solar power plants. By 2015, its cumulative installed capacity had surpassed 4 gigawatts; however, land availability remained the primary bottleneck to further expansion. In response, Zhongli Group pioneered the “Smart Photovoltaics + Tech‑Driven Agriculture” initiative, successfully cultivating staple crops such as rice, wheat, and corn. To date, the group has commissioned 1.3 gigawatts of projects domestically and over 400 megawatts in countries including Argentina, Thailand, and various African nations. Wang Boxing firmly believes that the future of photovoltaic development lies in integrating with agriculture, which will unlock significantly broader market opportunities.

Wang Baixing stated that this year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up, as well as the 30th year of Zhongli Group’s development. Private enterprises like ours have continuously grown and flourished under the guidance of the Party’s reform and opening-up policies. Therefore, we remain committed to giving back to society, and helping impoverished regions share in the innovative achievements of reform and opening-up is a social responsibility we must fulfill.

In 2016, Zhongli Group pioneered the “Poverty‑Stricken Village Photovoltaic Farm” targeted poverty‑alleviation project. To date, it has helped 73 impoverished counties nationwide establish such farms, lifting more than 800,000 people out of poverty through precision‑targeted measures. This model involves enterprises providing upfront funding to build the photovoltaic farms; upon completion, ownership of the facilities vests in the village collectives, thereby addressing longstanding challenges such as limited investment capacity, scarce employment opportunities, and difficulties in adopting innovative technologies. Each village constructs a 0.5‑megawatt photovoltaic farm, generating annual revenues exceeding RMB 400,000. Combined with income from specialty agriculture, this approach enables over 120 impoverished villagers to secure stable, long‑term livelihoods for 25 years, effectively achieving both poverty reduction and prosperity.

“Cease to carve, and even rotten wood will not break; persevere in carving, and even metal and stone can be worn away.” Relying on his keen market sense and distinctive judgment, Wang Boxing entered the photovoltaic industry eight years ago. Through a series of ups and downs, he has turned photovoltaics into a key pillar of Zhongli’s business portfolio. From investing in and building solar power plants, to transitioning to “PV+” application models, and then to targeted poverty alleviation through photovoltaics, his innovative “Poverty‑Stricken Village PV Farms” have helped countless households embark on the path to prosperity. Being named one of the “Top Ten New Energy Figures of 2018” is both a recognition of Chairman Wang Boxing’s personal dedication and a high appraisal of Zhongli Group’s bold spirit of innovation and proactive transformation as it advances along its development trajectory.

Concurrently with the summit, the “2018 Global Top 500 New Energy Companies” list was unveiled. Zhongli Group ranked 45th on the list, climbing four spots from its 2017 position. The “Global Top 500 New Energy Companies” ranking follows internationally accepted practices, using each company’s prior-year revenue as the criterion and denoting figures in RMB, thereby enjoying high authority and credibility within the industry.