Online Reporter
Kuda Bwititi, recently in Qinghai, China
A vast energy complex in China’s Qinghai province has officially set five world records, cementing its status as a global pioneer in clean energy technology and providing a tangible model for climate action.
The Hainan Hydro-Solar Complementary Photovoltaic Industrial Park has been recognised for being the world’s largest photovoltaic industrial park, the site of the world’s largest single photovoltaic power station, and the world’s largest hydro-solar complementary power station. It also contains the world’s largest photovoltaic power generation demonstration base and the world’s largest new energy distributed camera cluster.
Speaking during a recent tour by a delegation that attended the China-Africa Youth Festival in Qinghai Province last week, officials at the industrial park said these achievements have resulted from an investment of over 167 billion yuan (approximately US$24 billion) in the projects.
An official said the park offers crucial lessons for African nations.
“The Hainan park promotes eco-industrialisation, achieving a triple-win for ecology, production and livelihoods,” the official said.
“This is a model that many African nations can adopt as they have the sunlight and the water resources for renewable energy development.”
Since 2013, an accumulated grid capacity of 30.66 billion kilowatts of clean energy has been generated at the industrial park.
The park’s Longyangxia Hydro-Solar Power Station and Tara Beach Photovoltaic Power Plant have both received separate Guinness World Records for their unprecedented installed capacity.
The project ingeniously leverages the Yellow River’s 1,007-meter water drop, alongside abundant sun and wind, to power eight mega hydro stations and countless solar panels.
A key to its success is the world’s first-ever 100 percent clean energy transmission line, the Qing-Yu 800 kV UHVDC line, which has transmitted over 68 billion kWh.
Officials highlight the project’s innovative approach, which includes generating power on rooftops and planting grass between panels to create eco-friendly pastures. This has transformed wasteland into a green oasis, reducing wind speed and soil evaporation.
Dozens of youths from Africa and China toured the industrial park as part of the activities during the China-Africa Youth Festival held in Beijing and Qinghai provinces.
