(Source: Qianlong.com)

The Chinese New Year is approaching, and the flavor of the year is gradually becoming stronger. While most people are busy buying New Year's goods and reuniting with their families, Minfeng County in Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang, on the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert, is home to a group of "pursuers" who remain steadfast in their posts. On January 31st, with the last photovoltaic module firmly fixed on the bracket, the Xinjiang Minfeng 1 million kilowatt photovoltaic sand control project (Section 2) undertaken by China Railway 23rd Bureau successfully completed the installation of 22772 sets of fixed brackets and 592072 photovoltaic modules. This former desert is rapidly transforming into a neatly arranged 'blue ocean'.

This construction site, surrounded by yellow sand, is located in the core area of the "Shage Wilderness" wind and solar power base, and is also a key gap in the ecological barrier of sand fixation in Minfeng County's desert. Every spring and autumn, the yellow sand blows for several days and nights, affecting the crops and houses in the village. When it comes to past sand disasters, villagers in surrounding villages and towns still vividly remember. And this photovoltaic sand control project with a total installed capacity of 1 million kilowatts is not only a national key energy project, but also carries the expectations of local people to "lock in sand and protect their homes".

However, planting the sun in the desert is not an easy task. Since the project construction team entered the site, they have faced the dual challenges of tight schedule and harsh weather conditions. In the winter desert, the lowest temperature can drop to minus 20 degrees Celsius. When strong winds blow, sand particles hit the face and cause pain, posing great challenges for bracket assembly and component installation. The project leader explained that photovoltaic modules are delicate and fragile, and low temperatures can affect installation accuracy. Strong winds may cause bracket displacement, and the construction team can only "race against the sky". While doing a good job of thermal protection, the construction process is optimized and 24-hour shift work is implemented.

During the peak installation period, workers often set out before dawn and began their day's work under searchlights. The bolts become cold and prickly due to low temperatures, requiring double the effort to tighten each one; The wind in the desert is pervasive, even with windproof goggles, fine sand still occasionally captivates the eyes.

Unlike traditional photovoltaic power plants, the Minfeng project adopts a three-dimensional ecological governance model of "on-board power generation, on-board sand fixation, and inter board grass planting". Photovoltaic panels not only generate electricity, but also provide shade and cooling, reduce water evaporation, and create conditions for the restoration of vegetation under the panels. After the project is completed, a green barrier approximately 9.8 kilometers long will be formed along the edge of the desert, effectively curbing the movement of sand dunes.

We plant drought resistant and sand fixing plants, such as jujube and shuttle grass, "the on-site technical manager explained." Photovoltaic panels are like a 'protective umbrella', allowing these plants to survive and grow better under the panels, gradually improving the sandy soil

This "photovoltaic+desertification control" model is exploring a new path for the coordinated promotion of ecological protection and energy development in southern Xinjiang. After the project is fully put into operation, it can provide approximately 1.902 billion kilowatt hours of clean electricity in the first year, which is equivalent to saving about 580000 tons of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 1.55 million tons.

With the installation of brackets and components achieving the "double 100%" goal, the project has entered the final sprint stage before grid connected power generation. Next, the builders will make every effort to promote the installation of box type transformers and the construction of supporting cables, ensuring that the project is connected to the grid at full capacity as scheduled.

For residents of Minfeng County and surrounding villages and towns who are constantly affected by sandstorms, this photovoltaic array has a more profound significance. It not only means clean energy, but also means that our home will be protected by a solid green barrier.

As night fell, warm lights lit up in the workshop. Although the Spring Festival is approaching, many builders choose to stay on construction sites and spend a 'construction year'. A young electrician from Sichuan smiled and said, 'If we can make the project generate electricity and solidify sand one day earlier, our perseverance is worth it.'.

In the depths of the desert, tens of thousands of photovoltaic panels emit a serene blue light in the afterglow of the sunset, like a sea of energy waiting to be unleashed. Soon, the green electricity transmitted here will light up the lights of distant cities, while the new green quietly sprouting under the board will silently bind the yellow sand and protect this land towards a more hopeful future.