The just-ended two sessions has prioritized energy security and green low-carbon transformation, with key words like "ensuring stable production and sufficient supply" and "fully implementing the dual-carbon goals" being constantly mentioned.
This year marks the beginning of full implementation of the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Safeguarding energy security and promoting green and low-carbon transformation is of great importance to stabilizing macroeconomic performance.
This year will also be the first full year for the operation of what will be the world's largest clean energy corridor in the Yangtze River Basin after its completion.
In the first two months of 2023, six cascade hydropower stations over the trunk stream of the Yangtze River were in smooth operation, with a total power generation capacity of 38.09 billion kilowatt-hours, which was 6.95 billion kWh higher compared with that of one year ago. These stations have promoted the Chinese modernization of harmony between humanity and nature in an environmentally-friendly way.
Recently, a provincial session was held to plan for the high-quality development of the economy, technology and manufacturing industry of South China's Guangdong Province in 2023. Cities like Shanghai and provinces in East China like Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui also proposed improving their business environments and promoting major projects. Economic growth, now a priority for every city and province in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the Yangtze River Delta region, relies heavily on supply of electrical energy.
Power generated from the six stations has injected green energy into the high-quality development of local economies. The installed capacity of clean energy in the GBA accounts for 65 percent of the area's total capacity, and 59 percent of the energy actually generated is clean.
Shipping has thrived with the help of the clean energy corridor. In 2022, the volume of freight transported along the Yangtze River trunk stream was 3.59 billion metric tons, a record high. The six stations along the corridor have promoted shipping on the Yangtze River, and shipping in turn has boosted the economy. The freight turnover and exports of the Yangtze River Economic Belt accounts for about half of that of China.
In 2022, the ship locks of the Three Gorges Dam ran 10,400 times, and ships passed through the locks 40,600 times, creating a record-breaking total freight volume of 156 million metric tons, a 6.78 percent increase from the previous year. Since the start of 2023, logistics have been in fast recovery. In the first two months, the volume of freight transported through the locks was around 20.17 million metric tons, a 10.24 percent increase over that of last year.
Passenger transport is also flourishing. Since the year started, an increasing number of people have traveled by water and water transport for tourism is booming again. During Spring Festival, the numbers of cars and passengers ferried along the Yangtze River trunk stream increased 15 percent compared with the same period last year. Passenger trips along the rivers of Chongqing municipality and Hubei province reached 155,000, twice as many as the figure for the 2022 Spring Festival.
Besides the six hydropower stations, builders of the Three Gorges Dam also tapped into wind and solar energy along the lower reaches of the Jinsha River, and developed a base that integrates wind, solar and hydro energy. The base includes 24 photovoltaic projects with a planned total installed capacity of 2,743,000 kilowatts. Once fully operational, it will generate an average of more than 3.649 billion kWh of electricity every year, saving more than 1.1 million metric tons of standard coal and reducing carbon emissions by more than 3 million metric tons.
The completion of the world's largest clean energy corridor and the accelerated development of its new energy projects will be of vital importance to ensuring China's energy supply, adjusting the energy mix and accelerating clean energy low-carbon transformation.
A view of the Baihetan Hydropower Station [Photo provided to sasac.gov.cn]
A view of the wind-solar-hydro and energy storage base in the downstream of the Jinsha River [Photo provided to sasac.gov.cn]
