Innovative ideas help power progress in Shandong province

Workers erect solar panels above fishponds in Haowangzhuang town, Shandong province. [Photo provided to China Daily]

In recent years, Wucheng county, in Dezhou city, East China's Shandong province has embraced high-quality development and made intensified efforts to bolster emerging industries including HVAC and aquavoltaics.

At Haichuang Energy-Saving Science and Technology Co Ltd industrial robotic arms are helping to produce heating, ventilation, and air conditioning – or HVAC – products.

Han Wenyan, manager of the robotic arm project, said the project has attracted more top companies to invest in Wucheng's HVAC industry and helped the county build a series of "lighthouse factories" that are highly automated, informatized, digital and intelligent.

Han also said the project is expected to generate more than 5 billion yuan ($690 million) toward Wucheng's annual sales revenue and 200 million yuan in tax revenue.

The achievement came after the county's long-time commitment to cultivating renowned HVAC brands, improving product quality, and promoting digital empowerment.

The local government said it encourages HVAC factories to share factors of production such as brands, technologies, qualifications, equipment, and capital, so as to better integrate local resources and realize intensive production.

The county has also compiled an index for the high-quality development of the HVAC sector, which is expected to provide references for scientific production and risk avoidance.

Known as China's production base for central air conditioning, Wucheng is currently home to more than 3,600 HVAC enterprises. The county has produced more than 70 percent of China's HVAC products and reached an output value of 30 billion yuan.

Meanwhile, in Haowangzhuang town within Wucheng county, residents are expecting to further increase their income by participating in a new 100MW aquavoltaics project.

Aquavoltaics refers to a dual-use approach that enables the coproduction of aquatic animals and solar electricity.

Gao Qingli, manager of the project, said the plan calls for solar panels to be built above 153 hectares of fishponds. With an installed capacity of 100MW, the project will help the town save 1.1 million tons of standard coal and reduce carbon emissions by around 130,000 metric tons.

In addition, upon completion of the project, 140 million kilowatt-hours of electricity will be delivered to the power grid per year, and the income of more than 100 rural households will be greatly increased, Gao said.

Chen Xiaoxuan, deputy secretary of Haowangzhuang's Party Committee, said the solar panels will also help shade the fishponds below and lower the water temperature, thereby reducing losses in the local aquaculture sector.