AT the photovoltaic charging station in Zhuangshang Village, where dozens of agricultural vehicles are parked, farmer Chen Jiuhong is charging his electric tricycle.

“A full charge, enabling a drive of 50 km, costs less than 2 yuan (US$0.29), just one-fifth of the cost for the conventional diesel-fueled vehicles to drive the same distance,” Chen said. “Our farm machinery, such as weeders and spreaders, are all powered by electricity now, which is both cheap and environmentally friendly.”

Amid the country’s pursuit of green development, Zhuangshang, Ruicheng County of North China’s coal-rich Shanxi Province, has bid farewell to traditional coal burning and reached carbon neutrality thanks to the use of photovoltaic energy.

The village has recently won the title of zero-carbon energy demonstration village in China, jointly recognized by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

According to the village Party chief Du Kanglei, Zhuangshang began to promote photovoltaic power generation in 2019, gradually replacing coal and diesel with clean energy.

Today in Zhuangshang Village, the roofs of the farmhouses are equipped with blue photovoltaic panels.

“The village has become cleaner after the use of photovoltaic power,” 81-year-old villager Zhang Pingding said.

In order to make better use of solar power, the village is transforming barren lands into photovoltaic facilities. A 173-meter-long photovoltaic corridor has been constructed in a large wasteland adjacent to the Yellow River. (Xinhua)