AcrossChina:NewenergyrevitalizesChina'scoal-miningsubsidenceareas_GuangmingOnlineThisphototakenonMarch30,2024showsphotovoltaicpanelsofJinbeicoal-miningsubsidenceareanewenergybaseprojectinDatong,northChina'sShanxiProvince.(Xinhua/ChenZhihao)TAIYUAN,March28(Xinhua)--TheformercoalmininghubinnorthChina'sShanxiProvince,whichwasonceabandonedandshroudedinsilence,isnowbuzzingwithmachinesandworkersbracingthecoldwinds.Thewindpowerphotovoltaicproject,knownasthe"Jinbeicoal-miningsubsidenceareanewenergybaseproject,"islocatedatacoal-miningsubsidenceareaofDatongCity.Constructionoftheprojectstartedearlierthisyearanditissettobeputintoproductionbytheendof2025.Theproject'stotalinvestmentstandsatabout55billionyuan(about7.6billionU.S.dollars)anditisexpectedtogeneratesixmillionkilowattsofelectricity.Acoal-miningsubsidenceareareferstoanareawherethegroundsubsidesandcollapsesaftertheundergroundcoalresourcesaredrained.Thiscancausethesurfacetodeformanddamagebuildings,railways,rivers,andwellswithintheaffectedarea.Shanxiboastsabundantcoalresources,whichhavebeenhighlyprofitablefortheprovince.However,yearsofcoal-mininghaveresultedinlargesubsidenceareas.Statisticsshowthattheareaofsubsidencecausedbycoal-mininginShanxihasreached3,000squarekilometers.WangPeng,anofficialofthenewenergyandrenewableenergydepartmentoftheShanxiProvincialEnergyBureau,saidthatdevelopmentofnewenergyprojectsincoal-miningsubsidenceareascanimprovethecomprehensiveutilizationrateofenergyresources.Headdedthattheseareasareusuallylocatedinindustrialbeltsorontheoutskirtsofcities,makingthemconvenientfortheconstructionofnewenergyprojectsandreducingpowergridtransmissionlosses.Accordingtotheofficial,utilizationoftheabandonedlandcouldnotonlylowerthecostofnewfacilities,butalsobenefitlocalresidents.AphotovoltaicpowerstationbuiltintheShangshenjiantownshipofDatonghascreatedjobopportunitiesforlocalresidents.AccordingtoFanChaowhowasinchargeoftheproject,between50and60employeeswerehiredlocallyduringconstruction.Uponcompletion,80percentofthemaintenanceworkersarelocals.SofarShanxihasbuiltphotovoltaicpowerstationsinthecoal-miningsubsidenceareasthatcancollectivelygenerateatleastthreemillionkilowattsofelectricity.Infact,newenergyprojectshavebeenbuiltincoal-miningsubsidenceareasinmanyplacesacrossChina,withprovincessuchasShandongandAnhuialsohousingsuchprojects."Newenergyisthetrendoffuturedevelopment.China'scontinuousconstructionofnewenergyprojectsoncoal-miningsubsidenceareaswillkilltwobirdswithonestone,providingnewideasforbothwastelandmanagementandnewenergydevelopment,"saidWang.■Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.