URUMQI, Xinjiang - In the heart of China's far west, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is witnessing a remarkable acceleration in its new energy industry, painting a picture of a region on the cusp of a sustainable energy revolution.
URUMQI, Xinjiang - In the heart of China's far west, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is witnessing a remarkable acceleration in its new energy industry, painting a picture of a region on the cusp of a sustainable energy revolution.
The Development and Reform Commission of Xinjiang, in tandem with State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power Co., has recently rolled out a significant notice aimed at streamlining the management of new energy projects. This far-reaching initiative involves delegating the approvals for wind and solar projects from the regional level down to local authorities, thereby simplifying the once complex registration process. Industry experts predict that this move will serve as a powerful catalyst, attracting much-needed social capital to fuel Xinjiang's new energy development ambitions.
This year has been a period of intense activity in Xinjiang's energy landscape. The region has been forging ahead with remarkable speed in constructing large-scale wind and solar bases, as well as major hydropower projects and pumped storage facilities. According to the latest statistics from the National Renewable Energy Information Management Center, during the first half of this year alone, Xinjiang added a staggering 14.08 million kilowatts of new energy capacity. This represents an astonishing 103% increase compared to the same period last year and accounts for over 10% of the entire nation's growth in new energy capacity.
The notice, which has sent ripples through the industry, outlines a comprehensive set of 16 measures spread across five crucial areas. These include ensuring the orderly progression of new energy development, accelerating the coordination efforts in grid construction to seamlessly integrate the new energy sources into the power grid, leveraging the local initiative in project management to tap into the unique strengths of each area within Xinjiang, providing robust support to expedite project processes, and enhancing the platform support to offer streamlined services for all stakeholders involved.
Li Zhen, the Deputy Director of the New Energy and Renewable Energy Division at the Development and Reform Commission, emphasized the importance of optimizing the online approval platforms for new energy-related investment projects. "This will empower the regions to engage in scientific planning, efficient reserve management, strict construction oversight, and formulate well-thought-out expansion strategies," Li stated.
At present, Xinjiang's installed renewable energy capacity has soared past 80 million kilowatts, with growth showing no signs of slowing down. The notice also places a strong emphasis on coordinating the development of related industries such as hydrogen (green ammonia), computing power, and the establishment of low-carbon industrial parks in harmony with the renewable energy projects.
To meet the challenges of facilitating the large-scale development and consumption of renewable energy resources, State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power Co. is pulling out all the stops in accelerating grid construction. The company is in the process of establishing two AC/DC transmission channels, and the highly anticipated third DC channel - the Hami-Chongqing ±800 kV ultra-high voltage direct current project - is under rapid construction. Once completed, this project is expected to add an annual generation capacity of 40 billion kilowatt-hours, with over 50% of that power sourced from renewables.
Han Youjun from the Investment Development Department of Datang Xinjiang Power Generation Co. commented on the positive implications for companies. "These initiatives are a boon for us. They enable better resource allocation and ensure the efficient execution of our renewable energy projects," Han said.
As Xinjiang continues to march forward in its new energy journey, the world will be watching closely to see how this vibrant region transforms itself into a leading hub for sustainable energy development.
This news piece attempts to present the facts about Xinjiang's new energy growth from an objective and somewhat external perspective, similar to how a foreign journalist might report on such a significant development.