Strategic Partnership

The Group has been relentless in pursuing technological research and development. It has been active in working together with major research institutes and strengthening its partnership with renowned international and local enterprises. During the year under review, the Group had worked with different educational institutions such as Tsinghua University, Tongji University, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan University, Nanjing University, Jiangnan University and Shenzhen University on various initiatives including research and development projects, sourcing of government fundings for research and discussion about different technologies, etc.

Research and Development Facility

To develop core technology and boost its competitive strengths, Everbright Environmental Technological Development (Beijing) Limited has been established in May 2008. The Group now plans to set up two technology research and development centers to specialize in solid waste and water resources technologies respectively to serve as platforms for cooperating with domestic research and development institutions and applying for government funding. During the year under review, the Group submitted an application for a solid waste resource technology research and development center project in Suzhou City and was granted funding from the Suzhou Municipal Government. When the center is completed, it will serve the city as its solid waste resource technology center and cater to the needs of environmental protection enterprises in the city and the Yangtze River Delta region. The Group also plans to set up Zibo Water Resource Technology Research Center based on the state qualified laboratory of Zibo Project Company to provide water resource engineering and technical research services to
Shandong Province.

In 2009, the Group will continue to invest in technological innovation and enhancing its research and development capabilities, with the aim of lowering construction and production costs, and boosting cost-effectiveness and competitiveness. The Group will seek to commercialize patented technologies and introduce them to the market, striving to develop into a new environmental protection enterprise that employs "top-notch techniques and high-end technologies".

Research Project and Patent

During the year under review, the Group submitted applications for 45 projects. Of all these projects, 13 had been approved. The City Bio-waste Anaerobic Digestive Technology Research, a joint initiative of the Group and Tsinghua University, has been included in the "National 863 Program" after passing the review of The Ministry of Science and Technology. Furthermore, the different environmental protection project companies of the Group also obtained government research and development funding in Suzhou, Yixing, Changzhou, Shandong Province, Jinan and Shenzhen in a total amount of RMB2,710,000. The Group has also internally identified 11 research topics relevant to its environmental protection projects.

During the year, the Group submitted 9 patent applications and gained approval for 5 patents. The Group also secured 6 patents for its sludge dehydration equipment, anaerobic reactor, subsection disposal system for municipal solid waste and safe treatment of fly ash, in its bid to boost environmental protection technology and its core competitiveness.