English 
Spanish 
3 min read
1 comments
Discover how China has revolutionized solar energy with the world's largest plant in Xinjiang, covering more than 80.000 hectares and providing billions of kWh per year
China has connected to the grid what is considered the largest solar power plant in the world in northwestern Xinjiang. The plant, which covers an area of 80.937 hectares, has an annual production capacity of 6,09 billion kWh.
The new plant is located in the deserts near the region's capital, Ürümqi. It began operating this Monday (June 3) and is being managed by the China Power Construction Corporation, a state-owned company.
Xinjiang: Ideal place for renewable energy
Xinjiang, officially known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC). It is located in the northwest of the country, serving as a crossroads between Central Asia and East Asia.
- Samsung launches new Digital Inverter Ultra AI air conditioner: Technology, economy and sustainability
- Giant batteries revolutionize solar and wind energy, promising unprecedented efficiency and making electricity bills cheaper: the future of energy is closer than you think!
- More than 160 countries call on the UN to sign a treaty to ban “killer robots” and curb technological advances
- Elon Musk, watch out! European companies team up to “compete” with billionaire’s Starlink giant
Xinjiang is China's most extensive provincial-level division by area and the world's eighth-largest country subdivision. It extends over more than 1,6 million square kilometers and has a population of approximately 25 million inhabitants. It borders Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and India.
With a census population of 4 million in 2020, Ürümqi is the second largest city in Inner Northwest China after Xi'an and the largest city in Central Asia in terms of population. Since the 1990s, Ürümqi has experienced significant economic development and currently functions as a regional transportation hub and a cultural, political and commercial center.
Country's solar electricity generation capacity
The new power plant is just the latest development in the region, further strengthening the China's growing solar power generation capacity. Data published last year by China's National Energy Administration revealed that the country's solar electricity generating capacity will grow by a staggering 55,2% in 2023. The figures highlight more than 216 gigawatts (GW) of solar power that China has built during the year.
According to the Global Energy Monitor solar energy tracker, the two largest operational solar installations were previously located in western China. These were Longyuan Power Group's Ningxia Tenggeli desert solar project and China Lüfa Qinghai New Energy's Golmud Wutumeiren solar complex, both with a capacity of 3GW.
The Xinjiang region, with its low population density and abundant solar and wind resources, is an ideal location for large renewable energy bases that transmit most of their power long distances to China's densely populated eastern coast. This project not only strengthens China's energy infrastructure, but also underlines its commitment to sustainability and the transition to renewable energy.
The opening of this gigantic solar plant is a significant milestone in global efforts towards cleaner and more sustainable energy, highlighting China's leadership in the renewable energy sector.
Source: www.reuters.com
My congratulations to the Chinese government
and its citizens.