From diesel generators to photovoltaic systems — the tree belt along the road absorbs over 20,000 tons of CO2 per year

In the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China, a zero-carbon power system for a desert highway has reached a new milestone. Since its launch, the project has generated 15 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity. PetroChina reported this on Monday. This report is from CCTV+.

The Tarim Desert Highway is the first road through the Taklamakan, China's largest desert. Its construction was completed in 1995.

In 2005, a 436-kilometer protective tree belt was planted along both sides of the highway. It protects the route from sand erosion in the world's second-largest shifting sand desert. At the same time, 109 irrigation wells were built. They run on clean electricity generated by photovoltaic systems.

In 2022, PetroChina's Tarim oil division launched a project to transition to a zero-carbon power system. The goal was to replace all diesel generators with ones powered by solar energy.

Thanks to this project, not only have diesel consumption and CO2 emissions been reduced. The tree belt itself can absorb more than 20,000 tons of CO2 per year. That is enough to neutralize the carbon dioxide emissions from passing vehicles. This is how the highway is becoming carbon neutral.