CHANGCHUN, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Rows of enormous wind turbines, with their gleaming white towers reaching into the sky, form a striking contrast against the backdrop of open fields. The massive blades, each spanning the length of a commercial airliner, gracefully sweep through the air, harnessing the unseen currents that propel them.
This is a wind farm located in the city of Baicheng in northeast China's Jilin Province. A region once deemed resource-poor, Baicheng has leveraged the potential of its natural environment, particularly the wind, to drive its green transformation.
"Today, wind power generated here not only meets the needs of local residents, it is also transmitted more than 1,000 km away to east China's Shandong Province," said Hao Zhongqiang, deputy head of the energy bureau in Baicheng's Tongyu County.
This year, Baicheng, with an area of less than 26,000 square km, increased its installed capacity of new energy to 10,266.42 megawatts, equivalent to nearly half of the capacity of the Three Gorges hydropower station, the largest of its kind in the world.
As China forges ahead with its green development strategy, Baicheng stands as an example of the nation's dedication to reducing carbon emissions and embracing a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Baicheng is located in a wind corridor between the Greater Hinggan Mountains and Changbai Mountains, making it an ideal place for developing wind power.
As early as 1999, the city built its first wind farm in Tongyu County. Today, Tongyu is generating 800 million kWh of power annually, out of which only 300 million kWh were consumed locally.
"Surplus energy production is a challenge shared by many Chinese wind farms," said Hao, adding that China has invested heavily in technology of wind and solar power storage and transmission over the years to tackle the challenge.
In 2017, an ultra-high voltage direct current power transmission line was put into operation, connecting Jarud Banner in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to Qingzhou in Shandong Province. As a major national project, the line sends Baicheng's surplus electricity to Qingzhou over 1,000 km away.
Today, continuous technological innovation has also helped boost the efficiency and reliability of wind farms in Baicheng.
In a wind farm in Tongyu operated by China Huaneng Group, advanced control systems seamlessly oversee the operation of the wind turbines. Robots are used to conduct regular inspections and maintenance while remote monitoring systems provide real-time data on each turbine's performance, allowing for adjustments even through mobile phones.
Baicheng's long-standing history in wind power generation has also paved the way for its prominent role in the wind energy industry chain.
Major wind power equipment manufacturing companies, including Huaneng and Sany, have established a presence in the city. From large wind turbine blades to small screws and anchor bolts, all components can be produced here, making the city a procurement base for the entire wind power industry chain.
"In the past, we relied on imports, but the new energy industry cluster has allowed us to achieve localization of wind turbines and components, significantly reducing our costs," Hao said.
Thanks to the city's green transformation, even the local people have gained a stronger environmental awareness.
Yin Hang, 30, commutes to work every day on a pure electric bus with zero emissions. "I always bring my reusable water bottle and shopping bag when I leave home. Low-carbon environmentalism has become the way of life for many people in Baicheng," Yin said. ■
