URUMQI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- A three-hour drive from Urumqi, the capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the towering silver structures of a monumental power transmission project emerge from the vast, sunbaked terrain.

Each day, the transmission lines stretching over 3,000 km deliver electricity generated from Xinjiang's abundant wind and solar resources to east China's Anhui Province, where it is redistributed to power the bustling cities of the Yangtze River Delta.

Independently developed, designed and constructed by China, the Changji-Guquan ultra-high voltage (UHV) direct current transmission project stands as a world leader in terms of voltage level, transmission capacity and distance, and technology level.

Since its launch in 2019, the project has delivered 84 billion kilowatt-hours of green electricity -- equivalent to annually cutting 65 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in eastern China.

"By leveraging Xinjiang's unique advantages, this project enables large-scale, cross-regional transmission of renewable energy, which is a pivotal step in the country's green transition," said Chen Shoujun, chairman of State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power Co., Ltd.

GREEN ENERGY GOLDMINE

Xinjiang's sprawling deserts and barren land, once seen as an economic hurdle, have turned into a renewable energy goldmine, blessed with strong wind and long hours of sunshine.

Latest data shows that Xinjiang's total installed power capacity has surged to 201 million kilowatts, with 112 million kilowatts -- or 55.72 percent -- coming from renewables.

In southern Xinjiang's Ruoqiang County, this transformation is visible in the rows of solar panels standing in neat arrays, resembling a vast dark blue ocean shimmering with metallic luster under the blazing sun.

The photovoltaic project, with the largest single-site installed capacity in China's sandy, rocky and desert areas, is expected to begin commercial operation by the end of this May and will generate 6.9 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually -- enough to power 2 million households for a year.

With abundant power generation capacity, Xinjiang faces the challenge of ensuring this energy doesn't go to waste. The region's local demand can not fully absorb the massive power it generates, creating a stark imbalance with the energy-hungry eastern regions.

This imbalance spurred China's West-to-East Power Transmission Project. Since 2010, Xinjiang has built four major transmission lines, including the Changji-Guquan UHV project, boosting its cross-regional capacity to 25 million kilowatts.

In eastern Xinjiang's Hami, another UHV transmission project is preparing to send electricity to southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. Upon its expected commissioning later this year, it will transmit over 36 billion kilowatt-hours annually, and more than half will come from clean energy sources.

"This is equivalent to replacing 6 million tonnes of coal consumption and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 16.5 million tonnes each year," said Xu Jiayang of State Grid UHV Engineering Construction Company, who oversees the construction of the project.

ENERGY STORAGE INNOVATIONS

While transmission solves allocation challenges, innovative ways of energy storage provide a solution to maximizing renewable usage.

Nestled in the rugged Tianshan Mountains, about 100 km northwest of Urumqi, a pumped-storage power station turns natural elevation into renewable energy reservoirs.

By exploiting a 400-meter height difference, the facility stores surplus energy by pumping water uphill during low demand hours and releases it to generate power at peak times.

"The unique feature of this project lies in its ability to improve the utilization rate of wind and solar energy," said Yang Hongtao, chairman of State Grid Xinyuan Xinjiang Fukang Pumped Storage Co. Ltd., noting the station can utilize over 2.6 billion kilowatt-hours of renewables annually.

Beyond clean energy, these mega projects are changing the lives of local people. Construction of the pumped-storage station has created more than 3,500 jobs while boosting tourism and catering industries, according to Yang.

For Huanxbek Sayran, a Kazakh engineer from northern Xinjiang's Altay Prefecture, working at the station fulfills both professional and personal aspirations.

"After university, I always wanted to contribute to Xinjiang's development," said Sayran. "Now with expertise to share, I hope to help build the next generation of projects."

As dusk falls over the Tianshan Mountains, the station's reservoirs shimmer under the desert sun. Above one reservoir, a slogan reads: "Energizing better lives, empowering brighter futures."