Green energy project helps boost nation's carbon pledge

陈小将

Editor's note: As protection of the planet's flora, fauna and resources becomes increasingly important, China Daily is publishing a series of stories to illustrate the country's commitment to safeguarding the natural world.

A photovoltaic plant installed on a rooftop is helping to secure the success of China's climate change goals. Tan Yingzi reports from Chongqing.

Despite being one of the places with the lowest amount of sunshine in the country per year, Chongqing is exploring innovative ways of using solar power.

Now, large spaces on the roofs of local factories are providing green solutions for the sustainable development of the city, an industrial powerhouse in southwestern China.

In April, Chang'an Auto, one of the country's leading carmakers, began operating the largest rooftop photovoltaic project in the city, with a total installed capacity of 37 megawatts.

The project, covering 300,000 square meters, makes use of spare roofs and carports to house PV modules in the factory area.

Over a 25-year operational period, the project's total power generation capacity is expected to reach 667 million kilowatt-hours, reducing the use of standard coal by 240,000 metric tons and lowering carbon dioxide emissions by 670,000 tons, according to the carmaker.

In recent decades, China has made concerted efforts to achieve the goals of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. In September 2020, the country pledged to realize the goals of peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060.