As night falls, Ningbo Zhoushan Port is ablaze with lights, and bridge crane operations are in full swing. The efficient operation of this "world's largest port" is supported by Ningbo's solid energy "foundation" - Zhenhai Refining and Chemical, with an annual crude oil processing capacity of 38 million tons, providing a continuous supply of "industrial blood" to the Yangtze River Delta. Beilun Power Plant, through ultra-low emission renovations, has enabled coal-burning units to generate clean electricity. The Zhejiang Energy LNG receiving terminal, resembling a giant freezer, can receive and unload liquefied natural gas annually to meet one-quarter of the province's residential gas demand.

"As an important energy and raw material base in East China, Ningbo not only occupies an important position in energy storage, transportation, processing, and conversion, but also serves as a major energy consumer. At the same time, it is promoting the transformation towards new energy in the city," said the relevant person in charge of the Municipal Energy Bureau.

With a total installed capacity of over 30 million kilowatts of electricity, a renewable energy installation ratio of 43%, and an annual electricity consumption exceeding 110 billion kilowatt-hours, the green transformation of traditional energy and the vigorous growth of new energy have intertwined into a robust "multi-energy complementary" security network in Ningbo, and a pioneering city in the construction of a new energy system is emerging.

From using natural resources to using renewable energy

In the Meishan Port Area of Ningbo Zhoushan Port, a gigantic green "power bank" is operating at full capacity.

As the blades of Wind Turbine No. 3 gently rotate with the wind, their angle intelligently adjusts according to the wind direction and speed, precisely "catching the wind". Another wind turbine in the Meishan Port Area Wind, Solar, and Energy Storage Integration Project has been successfully connected to the grid. This marks the completion and commissioning of the province's first "green power terminal".

As of now, the cumulative electricity generation of the project has exceeded 40 million kWh, equivalent to reducing approximately 24,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

In Gaotang Island Township, the Xiangshan Changda mudflat photovoltaic power plant, equivalent to the area of 422 football fields, is being bathed in the sunshine.

This is China's first large-scale coastal mudflat photovoltaic project, generating approximately 400 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 350,000 tons, sulfur dioxide emissions by about 12,000 tons, and carbon dust emissions by about 110,000 tons.

With mountain and sea resources, Ningbo is catching "dual carbon" opportunities. In recent years, Ningbo has proactively transformed the resources of "endless scenery" into development advantages, made generous layouts to cultivate the new energy industry, and built a clean energy system with "endless scenery".

A glimpse of a set of data reveals the whole picture. Last year, Ningbo's annual renewable energy power generation reached 13.3 billion kWh, accounting for 12.2% of the total power generation. As of May this year, the city's installed capacity of photovoltaic power has reached 10.24 million kilowatts, making it the first city in Zhejiang Province to exceed 10 million kilowatts of installed photovoltaic capacity. Among them, the scale of distributed photovoltaic power is 8.69 million kilowatts, ranking first among cities in China, making it a veritable "first city in distributed photovoltaic power".

More "splendor" lies in the vision of common prosperity in Ningbo's rural areas.

Li Ao Village in Longguan Township, Haishu District, has long been known globally as the first photovoltaic village in China. When a UN organization visited two years ago, they praised that "the ordinary people in Chinese villages can enjoy the sunshine and strive for common prosperity without paying a cent."

As a participant in the construction of photovoltaic villages, Zhou Songcheng, Chairman of Ningbo Guangnian Songsheng Energy Group, is currently working on the launch of the China Photovoltaic Village Common Prosperity Platform. "To accelerate rural revitalization, we don't seek capital; we aim to be pioneers in solving the problem of common prosperity in rural areas."

In 2014, Ningbo Guangnian established the nation's first photovoltaic building integrated photovoltaic village in Li'ao Village, Longguan Township. After 11 years of development, the Longguan "Integrating Photovoltaics into Buildings" Zero Carbon Common Prosperity 1.0 model, featuring "government support, diversified investment, universal participation, and benefits for every household," has been formed. Starting this year, through digitalization and AI empowerment, Ningbo Guangnian will create a digital and systematic Zero Carbon Common Prosperity 2.0 model.

With the launch of the China Photovoltaic Village Common Prosperity Platform at the end of this month or early next month, the Ningbo Photovoltaic Village model will accelerate its replication. Building on the expansion into markets such as Vietnam, Bulgaria, and Wenzhou in China, it will be replicated in Guangdong, Sichuan, and other regions this year.

From green manufacturing to seizing the market and going global

The scene of the main torch being lit at the Hangzhou Asian Games remains fresh in our minds, but what was even more impressive was the fuel used for the main torch tower - zero-carbon methanol.

It is produced by combining hydrogen from coke oven gas with carbon dioxide captured from industrial exhaust. For every ton of green methanol produced, 1.375 tons of carbon dioxide can be sequestered.

The provincial green intelligent automobile and parts technology innovation center in Ningbo Qianwan New Area has mastered this technology.

Upon entering the Zeekr Smart Factory, one is greeted by a 300,000 square meter photovoltaic power station atop the workshop. On the assembly line, the adoption of phosphorus-free and chromium-free painting processes, coupled with a dry paper box filtration technique for paint mist removal, makes it possible to achieve zero wastewater discharge in automobile production.

Like every Zeekr vehicle, being green and low-carbon is reshaping the DNA of Ningbo manufacturing.

Zhenhai Refining & Chemical has "honed its skills for ten years" to transform "gutter oil" into biojet fuel. If its 100,000-ton annual production facility operates at full capacity, the annual emission reduction will be equivalent to taking 50,000 cars off the road. This also facilitates the regular refueling of domestic jet fuel on the "Ningbo-Beijing Express" for the first time.

Jialian Technology, another company leveraging green technology to drive growth, has transformed agricultural waste into globally popular eco-friendly products by converting sugarcane bagasse into fully degradable meal boxes.

The "green content" of Ningbo's economy is continuously increasing.

As one of the six industries worth over 100 billion yuan in Ningbo, the output value of the new energy industry in Ningbo has exceeded 200 billion yuan in 2024.

Taking Ninghai County as an example, a "three-in-one" full-chain cluster has been formed, encompassing "upstream equipment research and development, midstream battery module manufacturing, and downstream photovoltaic power station and energy storage system applications". Last year, the output value of Ninghai County's new energy industry accounted for over 40% of the total output value of the county's above-scale industries.

A group of Ningbo manufacturing enterprises, including Gilong Technology, Ningbo Orient Wires & Cables Co., Dwoo Intelligent, Tiansheng Sealing Parts, Riyue Heavy Industry, Zhonghuan Saite Photovoltaic Technology, Samsung Electric Meters, and Deye Frequency Conversion Technology, have set their sights on the new energy market and are going global to make inroads

In Karachi, Sindh Province, Pakistan, a photovoltaic and energy storage power station equipped with 390kW photovoltaic capacity and 360kW energy storage capacity has been quietly operating for two years. This "mini-grid" is built by Ningbo Deye Technology Co., Ltd.

"Pakistan is a region with weak power grids, where power outages occur frequently. Through our photovoltaic (PV) power generation during the day and battery energy storage at night, combined with intelligent power consumption strategies, we can provide stable and reliable power supply to local residents," said a relevant person from Ningbo Deye Technology Co., Ltd. The company's photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage charging solution can replace up to 70% of diesel generators in weak power grid areas, effectively reducing carbon emissions while ensuring power supply.

Over the years, Deye Technology's overseas markets have spread across more than 130 countries and regions worldwide, benefiting millions of households and nearly ten million people.

"The energy revolution is not a simple substitution, but a systematic transformation."

As the sea breeze sweeps past the wind turbines of the Hangzhou Bay Bridge and the photovoltaic panels reflect the shimmering waves on the East China Sea coast, the energy story of Ningbo has quietly turned a page - from ensuring the well-being of a specific region to serving the overall situation, from being a strong manufacturing city to exporting standards, Ningbo is injecting sustainable momentum into the community of a shared future for mankind with its hardcore commitment to "every kilowatt-hour".