Imagine a place once known for its coal mines, now sparkling with solar panels! 🌞 That's Shanxi Province for you, leading the way in China's green energy revolution.
In Datong, a city in north China's Shanxi Province, a massive area once marred by mining is now home to a sea of glinting solar panels covering nearly 50,000 mu (around 3,333 hectares). Since 2016, this solar powerhouse has generated over 12 billion kilowatt-hours of clean energy! ⚡️
\"This solar base is a symbol of our country's energy transformation. Over eight years, it's proven just how reliable solar power can be,\" says Yin Xulong, chairman of Yingli Solar Co., Ltd.
At the Taiyuan Energy Low Carbon Development Forum in Shanxi's capital, Francesco La Camera, director-general of the International Renewable Energy Agency, spotlighted China's huge role in renewable energy. In 2023 alone, China contributed a whopping 63% of the world's new renewable energy capacity! 🌍
By July this year, China's renewable energy installations hit 1.68 billion kilowatts, making up over half of the country's total power capacity. Shanxi is rocking this trend too! The province boosted its new and clean energy capacity from 33.9% in 2019 to 47.2% in the first half of 2024. Plus, electricity from these sources jumped from 18.1% to 28.2% during the same time. 💡
But wait, there's more! Shanxi is turning a byproduct from coke production, coke oven gas (which is about 60% hydrogen), into a cost-effective source for hydrogen energy. Companies like Jinnan Steel Group, Meijin Energy, and Pengfei Group are diving into the hydrogen sector. By the end of last year, Shanxi could produce 31,000 tonnes of high-purity hydrogen annually, and had 885 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles zipping around. 🚗💨
In July, visitors from Indonesia's coal-producing provinces checked out Shanxi's energy companies and were blown away by the region's shift towards green energy. 🌱
According to Putra Adhiguna, managing director of Energy Shift Institute, Shanxi is using its existing industries as a launchpad for green transformation, seeing it not just as a challenge but an awesome opportunity! ✨
At the China (Taiyuan) International Energy Industry Expo, attendees were wowed by cool innovations like intelligent mining tech and space capsule-inspired ground control platforms! 🚀
This March, Shanxi launched an intelligent platform storing data from over 400 coal mines. Using big data and AI, it's helping companies innovate faster and break down tech barriers. Thanks to smart mining, the province's energy consumption per GDP unit dropped by 10.9% since 2021. 📉
\"China's renewable energy now makes up about 40% of the global total. Our exports of wind and solar products have helped other countries cut carbon emissions by 810 million tonnes,\" says Lu Junling, chief economist at the National Energy Administration.
Lu adds that it's time to beef up international cooperation in fields like wind, solar, hydrogen, and smart energy tech. By supporting developing countries in going green, we're opening doors to new energy partnerships! 🌐
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
