Yunnan is powering up. Yunnan's green energy and clean electricity industry has not only elevated the province’s economy and quality of life but also benefits the country as a whole. How does green energy facilitate ‘West to East’ electricity transmission across mountains and seas? How does the Belt and Road countries benefit from it as well?

Amidst the serene backdrop of blue skies, white clouds, and the brilliant hues of sunrise and sunset, Yunnan is powering up. Hydroelectric stations churn vigorously atop roaring rivers. Countless wind turbines are perched atop the endless rolling hills, spinning day and night. The landscape has dragon scales: rows upon rows of solar panels, glittering in the afternoon the sun.  

Harnessing the power of 'water, wind, and solar' not only enables Yunnan to be 'self-sufficient' but also empowers the province to become a veritable powerhouse for transferring electricity from the West to the East.

Host Burmie Wong

Hua Dian Lu Quan New Energy Development Co. Ltd. Deputy Manager Long Peng Xue

L: Yunnan hadn't developed new energy projects for almost 10 years. Our company mainly focused on hydropower and thermal power development before. The rapid development of Yunnan’s new energy infrastructure has been a refreshing challenge for us.

B: How has the technology evolved?

L: The past years have seen major investment from high-level enterprises. Particularly in the field of photovoltaic technology, we have seen significant advancements which mark a new era of maturity in the field of solar energy.

Our projects a designed with people and the environment in mind, combining photovoltaics with agriculture and ecological restoration. We facilitate the cultivation of economically viable crops in the space underneath the solar panels.

Energy is the backbone of Yunnan's economy. Yunnan has abundant energy resources, harvesting approximately 20% of the country's green energy from just 4% of the national land area. With rich hydroelectric, wind, solar, and other high-quality clean energy sources. Yunnan supplies electricity to regions in East and South China, including the most populous province, Guangdong. Over the past 30 years, Yunnan’s energy production capacity has increased 140-fold to 42.2 million kilowatts.

L: The environment has improved, you can hear birds singing outside almost every morning, it’s a testament to the changes we’re making.

Developing emerging technologies is like crossing a river by stepping on stones. Our drive for a better future propels us forward. Beyond becoming the leader in green energy production, Yunnan province is now advancing into the field of new energy batteries.

Yunnan Shanshan New Material Co. Ltd. Assistant to President, Chen Fuhu  

C: When it comes to battery technology, there are different areas for improvement. One is energy density, which impacts the range of electric vehicles. Another is charging speed which has increased dramatically in recent years for electronics like smartphones and is a key concern for electric carmakers. We are focusing on improving two key areas of lithium battery and energy storage battery: energy density and charging speed. Our anode material is also being enhanced to address these two critical aspects.

B: Was it challenging in the early days?

C: Certainly. We had some painful moments in the development process because the market was relatively small and the applications were limited. However, there were two major turning points. One was the emergence of smartphones in 2007, which marked the beginning of the first wave of large-scale applications. The other was around 2015 when the entire new energy vehicle industry started to develop rapidly，and energy storage stations have seen rapid development in recent years.

B: Why did your company choose Yunnan province?

C: Overall, Yunnan province is the obvious choice for the new energy industry due to its abundant renewable energy resources, especially hydroelectric. Also, the government’s strategic policy has led to significant efforts in bolstering growth in this industry, particularly in sectors like the lithium battery industry, which aligns with green energy initiatives. These are two crucial factors which make us choose Yunnan for our base of operations.

Our company, Shan Shan, is headquartered in Shanghai. Many of us come from places like Shanghai and Beijing and we were apprehensive about moving to the West. However, after coming to Yunnan, the mild climate and picturesque environment make it easy to adjust to our new surroundings. It might seem a bit remote but the natural beauty compensates for that. I am very happy to be here.

Yunnan's green energy and clean electricity industry has not only elevated the province but also benefits the country as a whole. The grid that facilitates ‘West to East’ electricity transmissions spans mountains and seas. The production of high-quality clean energy is important for safeguarding the blue skies and white clouds in the more populous coastal cities. In alignment with the Belt and Road Initiative, electricity is also being transmitted to Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, and other countries, with exports totaling 60 billion kilowatt-hour. We are witnessing the transformation of a 'New Yunnan' with each innovative leap in industry and development.