Northern Shaanxi turns wind, sunshine into green power

Wuqi county in Shaanxi province is turning its abundant wind and solar resources into a driver of green development, with clean electricity transmitted to other parts of China and renewable energy projects creating new income opportunities for rural residents.

Staff members from State Grid Shaanxi Electric Power Co carry out inspection work. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Located in Yan'an, the county was the Red Army's final destination in the Long March in 1935. Today, its rolling hills are becoming a hub for renewable energy. By March 2026, Wuqi had connected 1.34 million kilowatts of renewable energy capacity to the grid, including 1.3 million kW of wind power and 37,000 kW of solar power.

The county's transformation reflects a broader shift across northern Shaanxi, where renewable energy is complementing traditional coal production. The commissioning of the northern Shaanxi-Anhui ±800-kilovolt ultra-high-voltage direct-current transmission project has opened a major channel for delivering clean electricity to eastern China. The project is designed to accommodate 11 million kW of renewable energy capacity.

Renewable energy is also benefiting local communities. In Wuqi, a cooperative rooftop solar model involving local governments, village collectives, farmers, and energy companies enables residents to earn long-term dividends without upfront investment.

State Grid Shaanxi Electric Power Co has upgraded rural distribution networks to support grid connections and improve the consumption of distributed solar power, helping advance rural vitalization while supporting China's low-carbon transition.