IN a coal mine 500 meters underground, Chen Jianlong holds a 5G mobile phone, opens an app and taps the screen to hail a vehicle. In less than a minute, a rubber-tyred vehicle approached.

“In the past, workers had to call for vehicles through wired telephones and wait for word from the ground,” said Chen, a technician with Tashan Coal Mine, located in the city of Datong, Shanxi Province.

The introduction of the 5G network in this coal mine has changed things, with services allowing for one-click vehicle hailing, intelligent patrolling by robots and video calls with ground staff.

As one of the first pilot smart coal mines in China, Tashan Coal Mine widely utilizes 5G technology and has realized 24-hour supervision.

“Technology has changed the traditional way of development, and the future of coal mines is green and efficient,” Chen said.

Shanxi has been deeping the supply-side structural reform of its energy industry. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), it eliminated 157 million tons of excess coal production capacity, and 55 coal mines in the province have adopted green mining practices.

At present, 5G technology has been implemented in six coal mines in Shanxi, including Tashan, Xinyuan and Pangpangta, reducing work intensity, and improving safety and production.

Meanwhile, a number of leading scientific research institutes are on the rise in Shanxi. For example, a national laboratory is under construction to realize the green utilization of coal, in addition to eight new research institutes.

By the end of 2020, the province’s installed power generation capacity exceeded 100 million kilowatts, with new energy accounting for more than 30 percent. (Xinhua)