State utility gives helping hand in Xinjiang's green transition

To aid in China's dual goals of peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060, the country's largest power utility is helping enterprises boost technological innovation, in a bid to bolster the green transition.

In the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, State Grid — a State-owned enterprise — has decided to strengthen cooperation with local governments, research institutions and related enterprises, jointly promoting technological innovation and industrial upgrades, thereby contributing greatly to its green transformation.

In the city of Kuitun, CN Green Electricity launched a 1.1 million kilowatt new energy project on Nov 10, 2023, a key initiative under Xinjiang's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), in order to help in the area's green transformation.

Its four substations, with respective installed capacities of 80,000 kW, 480,000 kW, 210,000 kW and 240,000 kW, jointly form a massive clean energy matrix, meeting the demand for an additional 1,000 megawatts of photovoltaic power in the region.

To help the project, staff members from the State Grid Kuitun Power Supply Co decided to actively monitor and support its technological innovation, as it covers a large area (of 2,100 hectares) and has advanced technical capability.

Zhang Gaoju, head of the local power supplier's power station operations and maintenance center, said the company is monitoring its construction, has thoroughly inspected its installation angles and the spacing of photovoltaic panels as well as the operational status of its inverters, thus optimizing the performance of its photovoltaic equipment and eliminating potential risks.

He said the company's team of technical experts has also conducted rigorous reviews of the photovoltaic station's internal lines, accuracy of metering devices and overall system performance, in addition to providing on-site equipment maintenance tips and quick troubleshooting techniques.

CN Green Electricity has set up branches in many areas in Xinjiang, including Altay, Burqin and Barkol, which are mainly engaged in power generation, power transmission, power supply and distribution businesses as well as related technical services.

Zhang said the move highlights State Grid Kuitun's active role in promoting Xinjiang's energy transformation, thus contributing to China's dual-carbon goals.