In recent years, China has made significant strides in its renewable energy sector, and the completion of a new solar power plant in Xinjiang is a testament to this progress. With a capacity of 6.09 billion kWh, the facility is capable of providing enough electricity for a country like Papua New Guinea for an entire year. The plant covers an area of 80,937 hectares and was constructed by China Electric Power Construction Corporation.
Xinjiang, located in northwest China, is an ideal region for large-scale renewable energy facilities due to its rich wind and solar power resources. Despite being sparsely populated, the region serves as a crossroads between Central Asia and East Asia, bordering countries such as Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia. The electricity generated in Xinjiang is often transmitted over long distances to the densely populated eastern coastal region of China.
Ürümqi, with a population of around 4 million in 2020, is the second largest city in northwest China after Xi’an. It is also the largest city in Central Asia in terms of population. Over the years, Ürümqi has developed into an important transport, cultural, political, and commercial center in the region. The new solar power plant is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen China’s position in solar power production.
The completion of this new solar power plant adds to China’s growing solar energy capacity, which increased by 55.2% by 2023 according to data from China’s National Energy Administration. Prior to this project, the two largest solar power plants in the country were Longyuan Power Group’s Ningxia Tenggeli desert solar power project and China Lüfa Qinghai New Energy’s Golmud Wutumeiren solar power complex, both with a capacity of 3 GW. The new facility highlights China’s commitment to expanding renewable energy sources and reducing its carbon footprint.
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