A zero-carbon project designed for a desert highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has reached a new milestone of generating 15 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity since its launch, according to PetroChina on Monday.
The Tarim Desert Road, the first highway across the Taklimakan, China's largest desert, saw its construction completed in 1995.
In 2005, a 436-km-long shelterbelt was planted on both sides of the road to protect it from being eroded by sand in the world's second-largest shifting-sand desert, and 109 well stations were built for irrigation, all powered by photovoltaic green electricity.
In 2022, PetroChina's Tarim oilfield branch launched the zero-carbon transformation project, which sought to alter all the diesel power generators into photovoltaic power-driven ones.
In addition to the diesel consumption and CO2 emissions reduced with the help of the project, CO2 captured by the shelterbelt can surpass 20,000 tonnes each year. It can help neutralize the CO2 emitted by passing vehicles, thus making it a zero-carbon road.
Photovoltaic project in Xinjiang desert hits new milestone in green power generation
Many regions across China are using their natural surroundings to give visitors a wide range of experiences during the five-day May Day holiday that ends on Tuesday.
Ordos in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has transformed its desert landscape into a tourism magnet, offering off-road racing, grassland cultural experiences, and immersive entertainment.
Over 500 off-road vehicles and more than 2,000 drivers from across the country gathered from Saturday to Monday in the Kubuqi Desert in Hangjin Banner of Ordos for an intense desert racing competition.
Drawing crowds of spectators, drivers use the momentum from the sand dune peaks to perform high-difficulty maneuvers, such as drifting and jumping, as they navigate their routes.
"The desert features small dunes and complex terrain. It's a great training opportunity for every driver. The desert is challenging, but offers a lot of fun," said a race driver.
Water sports, lakeside camping, and eco-tours are catching on in eastern and central Chinese cities, driving a new wave of holiday tourism.
In Suqian City, east China's Jiangsu Province, tourists have flocked to the Zhuhai Leisure Sports Town over the holiday, with the water sports zone emerging as a popular destination for young people.
"There are so many activities here, like kayaking, go-karts, and camping. I just tried the water bike - it was really exciting and great fun," said Zou Yutong, a tourist.
In central China's Henan Province, the Danjiang Scenic Area in Xichuan County is known as the headwaters of the South-to-North Water Diversion Middle Route Project. Its unique ecological resources have captivated visitors from across the country.
Local data shows that Xichuan received 624,000 tourists in the first three days of the May Day holiday, bringing in more than 300 million yuan in tourism revenue.
Diverse tourism experiences draw visitors during May Day Holiday
