BAODING, China, March 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited (NYSE: YGE) ("Yingli Green Energy" or the "Company"), one of the world's leading solar panel manufacturers, known as "Yingli Solar," today announced that it has begun construction of a 50 megawatt (MW) solar power plant on former mining lands in in Huangshi City, Hubei Province, China. It is the first project developed by Yingli on land that has been degraded by mining activities.

The 50 MW power plant occupies over 100 hectares of land in western Huangshi City, a region known for its rich mineral resources and extensive mining operations. The project will contain about 170,000 YGE 72 Cell Series multicrystalline solar panels that are expected to generate approximately 55,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of clean electricity annually, which will offset the consumption of nearly 22,000 tons of coal and the emission of over 50,000 tons of carbon into the atmosphere. The system is scheduled to interconnect with the local utility grid and begin operations in the fourth quarter of 2015.

Huangshi City was designated a pilot city for the reclamation of abandoned mining lands and former industrial sites by China's Ministry of Land and Resources in January 2013. Therefore, the power plant will serve as a key demonstration project for the integration of solar power into land revitalization programs across China. To help showcase the unique value solar power brings to land reclamation efforts, Yingli also plans to develop an educational visitor's center near the project site.

"This highly replicable project shows how solar power can be integrated into ecological restoration programs, stimulating the local economy and providing clean power to the community while simultaneously aiding in land revitalization," commented Mr. Liansheng Miao, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Yingli Green Energy. "We're pleased that our first project on degraded mining lands will deliver concrete economic and environmental benefits to the surrounding community."

About Yingli Green Energy

Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited (NYSE: YGE), known as "Yingli Solar," is one of the world's leading solar panel manufacturers. Yingli Green Energy's manufacturing covers the photovoltaic value chain from ingot casting and wafering through solar cell production and solar panel assembly. Headquartered in Baoding, China, Yingli Green Energy has more than 30 regional subsidiaries and branch offices and has distributed more than 10 GW solar panels to customers worldwide. For more information, please visit www.yinglisolar.com and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Weibo.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "target" and similar statements. Such statements are based upon management's current expectations and current market and operating conditions, and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond Yingli Green Energy's control, which may cause Yingli Green Energy's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in Yingli Green Energy's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Yingli Green Energy does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable law.

For further information, please contact:

In China

Qing Miao
Vice President of Corporate Communications
Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited
Tel: +86 312 8929787
E-mail: ir@yingli.com

In the Americas:
Tori Clifford
Director of Marketing
Yingli Green Energy Americas Inc.
Tel: +1 415 728 0472
Email: tori.clifford@yingliamericas.com

In Europe:
Carolin Stähler
Marketing Communications Manager Europe
Yingli Green Energy Europe GmbH
Email: carolin.staehler@yingli.com

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SOURCE Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited