China's PPI down 2.8 pct in September

China's producer price index (PPI), which measures costs for goods at the factory gate, went down 2.8 percent year on year in September, the National Bureau of Statistics said Sunday.

On a monthly basis, the PPI edged down 0.6 percent in September.

The purchasing prices for industrial producers decreased by 2.2 percent on a yearly basis and 0.8 percent on a monthly basis during the same period.

In the period from January to September, China's producer prices for industrial products decreased by 2.0 percent over the same period of last year, and the purchasing prices for industrial producers decreased by 2.1 percent.

In terms of the year-on-year changes of prices for different categories, among the producer prices for industrial products, the prices for means of production decreased by 3.3 percent.

Among them, the prices for the mining industry went down by 2.5 percent, the prices for the raw material industry decreased by 3.2 percent, and the prices for the processing industry dropped by 3.3 percent.

The prices for means of livelihood lowered by 1.3 percent on a yearly basis. Among them, the prices for food went down by 1.6 percent, for clothing and general commodities decreased by 0.3 percent, and the prices for durable consumer goods dropped by 2.1 percent.

Of the purchasing prices for industrial producers, prices for ferrous metal materials dropped by 6.8 percent year on year, prices for building materials and non-metallic went down by 4.2 percent, and prices for fuel and power declined by 4.1 percent.

The prices for agricultural and sideline products declined by 3.8 percent, prices for raw chemical materials declined by 3.3 percent, and prices for non-ferrous metal materials and wires went up by 7.4 percent.

China's PPI down 2.8 pct in September

China's PPI down 2.8 pct in September

China's PPI down 2.8 pct in September

China's PPI down 2.8 pct in September

China's first two-tonne-class tethered balloon entered trial operation in a major power transmission project on Monday, providing a brand-new solution for transportation in power grid construction projects in high-altitude and ecologically sensitive areas, according to the State Grid.

The project is a massive ultra-high voltage (UHV) power transmission line that will carry clean energy from Xizang Autonomous Region in southwest China across thousands of kilometers to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in south China.

At the construction site, a large balloon with a diameter of 25 meters and a volume of 8,000 cubic meters slowly rose into the air.

As multiple mooring lines were simultaneously extended and retracted, the heavy construction materials suspended beneath the balloon were lifted off the ground and moved smoothly along a predetermined route toward the mountainous work site.

"This is our newly developed load-bearing tethered balloon. We have just completed a maximum load test of two tonnes at an altitude of 4,000 meters. Next, we will conduct a hoisting operation for power supply materials over a straight-line distance of 500 meters and a vertical drop of 120 meters," said Qin Jian, researcher at the Transmission and Transformation Engineering Technology Research Institute of the State Grid Electric Power Engineering Research Institute.

A heavy-lift tethered balloon involves launching a helium-filled balloon into the air and connecting it to the ground with one or several cables.

By adjusting the cable, the balloon's altitude and horizontal position are controlled to facilitate the transport of materials at high altitudes.

The balloon can travel up to 800 meters and carry a maximum load of two tonnes, with a positional accuracy of within 0.5 meters.

As the construction of new power grids is extending more rapidly into high-altitude, remote mountainous and ecologically sensitive areas, the transportation of materials for transmission projects has become a major challenge constraining construction progress.

Traditional road construction for transportation have long cycles and significant ecological disruption, while drones, though agile and flexible, face limitations in scenarios requiring heavy loads or prolonged continuous transport.

Tethered balloon transport technology effectively overcomes these difficulties.

"The construction section where this technology is applied is located in an uninhabited mountainous area at an altitude of over 4,000 meters. Many tower sites are situated on steep ridges inaccessible by road, making this the section with the highest altitude, most treacherous terrain and most challenging operations in the entire project. The two-tonne tethered balloon is better suited to high-altitude conditions characterized by thin air and strong winds, and its load capacity and stability can better meet transportation requirements," said Feng Tao, project manager of the State Grid Henan Power Transmission and Transformation Company.

China puts first 2-tonne tethered balloon into operation