Powering to a cleaner and greener future

After three successful trials to supply its 6 million residents with clean energy, the province is now gearing up to help the rest of the country

Editor's note: As the People's Republic of China prepares to celebrate its 70th anniversary on Oct 1, China Daily is featuring a series of stories on the role regions have played in the country's development and where they are today.

Qinghai province set a record in June, when for 360 consecutive hours its 6 million residents used nothing but clean energy-generated from wind, solar and hydropower stations.

Running from June 9 to midnight on June 23, it was the third clean energy trial involving the whole province. In June 2017, it successfully finished a seven-day stretch, which beat Portugal's 107-hour clean energy effort, and in June last year it relied solely on renewable energy for nine consecutive days.

The trials are part of China's transition toward a low-carbon future to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and achieve better air quality.

Located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, dubbed "the roof of the world", Qinghai is pioneering China's commitment to a cleaner future with strong hydro and solar power capacity.

According to the State Grid of China's Qinghai branch, clean energy consumption during the 15 days totaled 2.84 billion kilowatt-hours, equivalent to coal use of 1.29 million metric tons, and a 2.32 million-ton cut in emissions of carbon dioxide.