The trans-desert highway in the Xinjiang autonomous region is a remarkable feat of engineering that spans 522 kilometers and is equipped with 86 solar power plants dedicated to pumping and irrigating water. This groundbreaking project, known as China’s first zero-carbon trans-desert highway, is the longest solar power project for irrigation and sand control in the Tarim oil field.
These solar power plants have successfully replaced traditional diesel-powered irrigation pumps with clean electricity, providing a sustainable solution for the region. Wen Zhang, the deputy general manager of the Tarim oilfield company of China Petroleum Company, highlighted that photovoltaic cells along the highway produce approximately 11,000 kW of electricity per day to power 109 wells for pumping and irrigation.
In total, the installed capacity of solar power plants along the trans-desert highway reaches 3,540 kW with an annual production capacity of 3.62 million kWh. Engineers working on the project have adopted a cyclical development model for photovoltaic energy production by planting trees underneath the panels and effectively using water resources to transform the desert ecosystem. It is estimated that this green initiative will reduce diesel fuel consumption by approximately 1,000 tons and carbon dioxide emissions by 3,410 tons annually.
The Tarim Oilfield Company has also constructed four additional solar power plants in remote areas of the Taklamakan desert and its surroundings, totaling 1.3 million kW in installed capacity. These plants have collectively produced over 700 million kW of clean electricity, supporting the local economy and meeting the rising demand for power during summer months. According to data from the National Energy Administration, China leads the world in renewable energy capacity installation, accounting for more than half of
