Laos' first zero-carbon library opened at Luang Prabang Peace Secondary School on August 29. Built with support from Zhejiang Electric Power Corporation, the facility integrates solar power, energy storage, and charging facilities to address local electricity challenges.

The project coincides with the 65th anniversary of China-Laos diplomatic relations and the jointly declared "China-Laos Friendship Year." It follows a June visit by Thongloun Sisoulith, General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and President of Laos, to Zhejiang, where both sides agreed to deepen their community with a shared future.

Infrastructure and Technology

Laos relies heavily on hydropower, with seasonal water flow changes straining supply during the dry season. Luang Prabang also faces limited grid infrastructure. To address this without upgrading the main grid, State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power Co., Ltd. deployed an integrated photovoltaic-storage-charging microgrid solution.

The library was manufactured as prefabricated cabins in Zhejiang factories and assembled in Laos in four days. Rooftop photovoltaic panels generate electricity during the day, storing surplus power for nighttime use to ensure a stable energy supply.

Educational Impact

The facility provides a cool, air-conditioned environment with computers, televisions, and Chinese-Lao bilingual books. Students previously traveled over 200 kilometers to Vientiane for extracurricular reading resources. The library now offers immediate access to digital libraries and quiet study spaces.

On the same day, an "Air Classroom" connected Luang Prabang Peace Secondary School with Gaoqiao Junior High School in Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou. The session covered Chinese culture, science, and new-type power systems. Volunteers helped students assemble a robot dog, while Lao students shared traditions like the Water Splashing Festival.

Future Initiatives

Zhang Jun, head of the "Green Energy TO" public welfare team, described the model as "new energy + new education." The library will partner with the Zhejiang Provincial Science Popularization Association, the Abin Volunteer Service Center of State Grid Hangzhou Power Supply Company, and the Xiaoshan District Library of Hangzhou.

These partners will provide 21 class hours across five dimensions, including natural science and traditional culture. A UN Sustainable Development Goals science base beside the library features power-generating bicycles and photovoltaic benches to demonstrate green development concepts.