'City of the future' champions green energy

The new area's comprehensive bonded zone also stands as a potent example demonstrating the progress.

A distributed photovoltaic project with an installed capacity of 3.1 megawatts has been operational in the zone since the end of last year, fully utilizing 30,000 square meters of rooftops, according to Datang Environment Industry Group Co, the operator of the project.

Su Changda, deputy general manager of the group's New Industry Investment and Operation Branch, highlighted the project's environmental and economic advantages, noting that it not only cuts carbon emissions, but also substantially lowers electricity costs for companies in the zone.

The project is expected to annually generate nearly 3.5 million kWh of electricity, he said. Compared with coal-fired power generation, it can mitigate the use of more than 1,062 metric tons of standard coal per year.

This means that the emissions of almost 2,929 tons of carbon dioxide, about 92 tons of sulfur dioxide and roughly 46 tons of oxynitride will be avoided in the project's annual operation, he added.

Power generated by the project will first be used to meet the demand of companies in the zone, with the surplus electricity fed back into the grid, he said. During its designed lifespan of 25 years, it will significantly mitigate the zone's peak load on the grid.

The project uses a tiered electricity pricing model, where higher consumption from the distributed solar system leads to lower per-kilowatt-hour rates, he said. During daytime hours, companies in the zone benefit from a discount of approximately 0.3 yuan (4 cents) per kWh.

Su commended the Xiong'an authorities for their favorable policies and remarkable efficiency in handling the project's administrative procedures, from approval to final acceptance. He noted that the time required for these processes was significantly shorter compared to the company's similar projects in other regions, without going into details.

"Building on this project, Datang Environment Industry Group will keep expanding investments in Xiong'an New Area and proactively engage in green energy and smart city development, contributing to the building of a 'city of the future'," he said.