SPIC's Green Transformation Led by the "Two Mountains" Concept

分类：Industry News 发布时间：2025-08-15 16:12:24 作者: 来源: State Power Investment Corporation Limited

On August 15, 2005, Comrade Xi Jinping, then Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, inspected Yucun Village in Anji County, Huzhou City, and put forward the scientific assertion that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" for the first time.

Over the past two decades, profound changes have taken place. Focusing on Anji, Zhejiang: On the vast water surface of Caodang Reservoir in Meixi Town, 136,000 photovoltaic panels complement the clusters of fish. Since its commissioning 8 years ago, the Anji Caodang Photovoltaic Power Station of SPIC Zhejiang Branch has generated a total of 370 million kWh of green electricity, boosting the annual output of freshwater fish in the 1,000-mu fishpond to 600,000 kilograms and increasing fishermen's income by 4 million yuan. It vividly practices and depicts the touching picture of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets".

A single power station reflects the development concept and testifies to the green transformation. In the ten years since its restructuring and establishment, State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) has bravely acted as a firm practitioner and leader of the "Two Mountains" concept. It has always regarded green and low-carbon development as an important mission to fulfill the ecological and environmental responsibilities of energy central enterprises, fostered the green foundation of high-quality development, and delivered an impressive performance report. SPIC ranks among the top of the 98 central enterprises participating in the green development evaluation, has fully completed the ecological and environmental protection targets assigned by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, and made positive contributions to promoting ecological civilization and the construction of a beautiful China.

Enhancing the "Green Content" of Development

Guarding Lucid Waters and Beautifying Lush Mountains

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Lucid waters and lush mountains can bring invaluable assets, but invaluable assets cannot buy lucid waters and lush mountains."

Guarding lucid waters and lush mountains, energy transition is the main battlefield. In the ten years since its restructuring, SPIC has fully implemented Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, further advanced high-quality green and low-carbon development, taken clean energy as the mainstay of installed capacity growth, cultivated the advantages of high growth, high proportion, high quality and large-scale development of the clean energy industry, and injected green impetus into the comprehensive green transition of economic and social development.

A set of data outlines the landscape of green development: Over the past decade, the proportion of clean energy has risen from 38.47% in 2015 to over 50% in 2019, and now reaches 73.08%. Annual power generation has increased from 380.8 billion kWh to 724.4 billion kWh, with the proportion of clean electricity rising from less than 25% to 58.32%. In 2024 alone, it generated 393.6 billion kWh of clean electricity, with a carbon emission reduction effect equivalent to creating 17 new Saihanba Forest Farms.

Nuclear Energy: Empowered by SPIC

SPIC unswervingly implements the national strategy, takes the batch construction of "Guohe" series nuclear power units as the central task, and actively develops nuclear power in a safe and orderly manner. The installed capacity of nuclear power has grown from 2.24 million kilowatts at the time of its establishment to 10.74 million kilowatts, with a number of units under construction or approved in Shandong, Guangdong, Guangxi and other places. The Haiyang Nuclear Power Phase I Project, the world's first batch of third-generation nuclear power projects and China's third-generation nuclear power independent relying project, was completed in January 2019. It has generated a total of over 132.8 billion kWh of clean electricity, becoming the world's first third-generation nuclear power project with power generation exceeding 100 billion kWh.

Wind Energy: Blowing Through SPIC

From onshore to offshore, SPIC's wind power industry has achieved leapfrog development. The installed capacity of wind power has jumped from 9.98 million kilowatts to 62.53 million kilowatts, which can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over 140 million tons annually. Three million-kilowatt offshore wind power bases in Jiangsu, Guangdong and Shandong have been completed successively, with an installed offshore wind power capacity of 5.12 million kilowatts, maintaining a leading position in the industry.

Solar Energy: Shining on SPIC

Bearing in mind General Secretary Xi Jinping's earnest instruction that "we must do a good job in the photovoltaic industry", SPIC strives to build a world-class photovoltaic industry. Over the past decade, the installed photovoltaic capacity has grown from 4.85 million kilowatts to 86.73 million kilowatts, and a number of large bases have been built in Gonghe (Qinghai), Dalate (Inner Mongolia), Ganzi (Sichuan), Weining (Guizhou) and other places.

Hydropower: Flowing Through SPIC

SPIC has steadily advanced the development and construction of cascade hydropower stations in river basins. In the upper reaches of the Yellow River, a cascade hydropower base with 11 large and medium-sized hydropower stations and a total installed capacity of 12.84 million kilowatts has been formed; in the Yuanshui River Basin, a first-level tributary of the Yangtze River, 9 hydropower stations with an installed capacity of 4.965 million kilowatts play a movement of clear waves. On July 14, 2025, with the full-capacity commissioning of the Jianke Hydropower Station in Sichuan, SPIC's installed hydropower capacity reached 26.79 million kilowatts, and the surging river water injects green electricity into thousands of households.

While continuously increasing clean energy supply, SPIC's various industries have also made solid progress in moving towards green and intelligent development. In terms of thermal power: Over the past decade, it has completed the "replacing small units with large ones" and off-site expansion of thermal power units by over 12 million kilowatts, ultra-low emission transformation by over 67 million kilowatts, energy-saving (heating) transformation by over 79 million kilowatts, and flexibility transformation by over 34 million kilowatts. The coal consumption for power supply has decreased by 14 grams per kilowatt-hour. In terms of mines: The zero-carbon mine in Inner Mongolia has put into use more than 600 unmanned dump trucks and battery-swapping heavy trucks, reducing carbon emissions by about 15% compared with the original equipment.

Improving the "Innovation Content" of Industries

Turning Green into Gold and Expanding Invaluable Assets

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Lucid waters and lush mountains and invaluable assets are by no means opposed to each other. The key lies in people and ideas."

How to realize the transformation between the two? SPIC has given answers with practical actions and innovations, effectively exploring new models, new technologies and new solutions for green development, and widening the path of transforming lucid waters and lush mountains into invaluable assets.

Integrating Green Energy with Traditional Industries and Innovative Formats

In the hinterland of the Horqin Grassland in Inner Mongolia, the Huolinhe Circular Economy Demonstration Project of SPIC Inner Mongolia Branch, relying on the existing coal, electricity and aluminum industries in the Huolinhe area and utilizing local wind energy, solar energy and low-quality coal resources, has created China's first new "coal-new energy-electricity-aluminum" circular economy paradigm, realizing that the proportion of green electricity consumption in electrolytic aluminum reaches about 30%. Since 2023, Huolinhe Hongjun Aluminum Power Company under Inner Mongolia Branch has completed a total of 141,200 tons of "green electricity aluminum" transactions, realizing the value transfer from green power generation to "green electricity aluminum".

In the Yangzonghai Green Aluminum Industrial Park in Yunnan, Yunnan International has built China's first demonstration project of directly supplying photovoltaic DC power to aluminum smelting production, saving more than 10 kWh of electricity per ton of electrolytic aluminum, and taking the lead in realizing the in-depth integration of green electricity and industrial power consumption. The blazing "light" helps Yunnan Aluminum Co., Ltd. keep its main products' carbon footprint at a leading level in the industry, gaining valuable advantages in differentiated competition.

Unleashing the Charm of Zero Carbon for Win-Win Benefits

The Changxing Island Power Plant CCUS Innovation Demonstration Project, China's first 100,000-ton-level low-concentration carbon dioxide capture device compatible with coal-fired and gas-fired power, has "turned waste into treasure" by capturing carbon dioxide, successfully opened up the whole process of "carbon capture + carbon transportation + carbon utilization", truly realized the commercial application of carbon dioxide, and achieved a win-win situation of ecological and environmental value and economic value.

On July 26, 2025, a tank truck loaded with green ammonia drove to the downstream application market, marking the commissioning of Jidian Co., Ltd.'s Da'an Wind-Solar-Powered Green Hydrogen to Ammonia Integration Demonstration Project. The project has taken the lead in creating a "green electricity-green hydrogen-green ammonia" green development model. Using electricity generated from the abundant wind and solar resources in western Jilin, it can produce 32,000 tons of green hydrogen and 180,000 tons of green ammonia from green hydrogen annually, helping the chemical, power and transportation industries reduce carbon emissions and release green value.

Promoting Ecological Benefits for People's Well-Being

"In the past, this place was full of sandstorms all year round. When the wind blew, you couldn't see people even ten meters away," said Ye Duo, a herdsman from Xiahele Temple Village, Tiege Township, Gonghe County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. "Now there is more grass under the photovoltaic panels. My family's more than 300 sheep are all grazed in the photovoltaic park. The sheep are well-fed and fat, and my family's income has increased from more than 30,000 yuan a year to 70,000-80,000 yuan now."

Ye Duo's tangible sense of happiness and gain comes from the 609-square-kilometer photovoltaic industrial park built by energy enterprises led by Huanghe Company in Gonghe, Qinghai. Thanks to "photovoltaic sand control", the desert and Gobi have been turned into high-quality pastures, and the barren land has borne golden fruits of prosperity.

Such practices are not isolated. In Dengkou, Inner Mongolia, SPIC Beijing Branch has built China's first photovoltaic sand control project, increasing the vegetation coverage from 8% to 77% and driving villagers' income up by 200,000 yuan cumulatively; in Guilin, Guangxi, the Qiuping Alpine Wind Power Cluster Project of SPIC Guangxi Branch combines green energy development with rural revitalization, helping surrounding farmers increase their income by about 100,000 yuan annually; in Lankao, Henan, SPIC Comprehensive Energy has built China's first demonstration county for rural energy revolution pilot construction, using clean energy to help green development and increase people's income.

The "visible" green value is growing, and the "invisible" green benefits are creating a boundless blue ocean. In recent years, SPIC has actively explored green environmental rights and interests, successfully registered the country's first new national certified voluntary emission reduction project, developed a number of agricultural product carbon labels to benefit farmers, explored paths to turn green into gold, and promoted the transformation of ecological benefits.

Upholding the Ecological Bottom Line

Supporting High-Quality Development with High-Level Protection

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "We should protect the ecological environment as we protect our eyes and treat it as we treat our lives, and take not harming the ecological environment as the bottom line of development."

Resolutely upholding the bottom line of ecological and environmental protection depends on actions and results. SPIC's answer sheet on ecological and environmental protection embodies its perseverance in long-term efforts and firm determination to tackle tough issues.

To consolidate the foundation system of ecological and environmental protection, SPIC issued the Special Implementation Plan for Promoting the Construction of a Beautiful China and Ecological and Environmental Protection, clarifying the requirements of "shared responsibility of the Party and government, and dual responsibility for one post" in ecological and environmental management, as well as the "ten prohibitions and twenty no-nos". It has improved the operation mechanism of the "three major systems" for ecological and environmental protection, and promoted the ecological and environmental management system to have clearer responsibilities, more effective coordination and smoother operation.

To increase investment in ecological restoration and governance, SPIC Inner Mongolia Branch has taken the ecological restoration and governance of open-pit coal mines as a top priority in ecological and environmental protection, and fulfilled its commitment of "complete rectification in three years". Over seven years, five open-pit coal mines have invested a total of about 1.9 billion yuan in ecological restoration and governance, becoming a positive model in the inspection of the central ecological and environmental protection inspectorate.

To strengthen supervision and fully control risks and hidden dangers, SPIC has carried out multiple rounds of full-coverage inspections on all production-oriented secondary units in the system through ecological and environmental protection assessments, supervision and inspections. It has established a "one project, one list" working mechanism for ecological and environmental protection, and evaluated all projects in the system from "full industry, full process and all aspects". It has increased penalties for irregular behaviors and illegal acts, which are reflected in the year-end comprehensive performance assessment of the main responsible persons.

Today's SPIC, while making overall efforts in pollution prevention and ecological protection, has painted a splendid picture of the great rivers and mountains of the motherland.

Winning the Battle for Blue Skies: Making the sky bluer and the air fresher. In Yinchuan, Ningxia, known as the "Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall", the Aluminum Power Company invested 208 million yuan to build three closed coal yards with an area of 86,000 square meters, fundamentally solving environmental pollution and resource waste problems, and achieving an annual particulate matter emission reduction of 133.95 tons. Coal yards of coal-fired power plants such as Kaifeng Power Generation, Chifeng Thermal Power and Qinghe Power Generation have also implemented closed transformation to minimize operating dust.
Continuing the Battle for Clear Waters: Safeguarding the clear flow of water resources. SPIC has vigorously promoted special actions for ecological and environmental protection in the Yangtze River and Yellow River basins. Since 2021, it has implemented more than 60 upgrading and transformation projects of wastewater treatment facilities. Tongliao Power Plant of Inner Mongolia Branch and Dalian Power Generation of Northeast Branch have achieved full-plant "zero discharge" of wastewater, continuously improving the level and capacity of pollution control facilities.
Advancing the Battle for Clean Land: Growing emerald parks on waste mines. SPIC has continued to promote the source reduction of solid waste, strengthened the resource utilization of industrial solid waste, and made new breakthroughs in recycling technologies for energy storage batteries, wind turbine blades and photovoltaic modules, realizing the industrial application of resource utilization technology for aluminum electrolysis overhaul slag. Shanxi Aluminum Industry invested 134 million yuan to complete the closure of the Shangfeng red mud storage yard. In the Nantianshan Open-pit Coal Mine in Inner Mongolia, on the reclaimed dump, Mongolian oak and Acer mono are sprouting new shoots, and low-flying goshawks draw perfect arcs in the air.
Protecting Biodiversity: Preserving paradise for creatures. SPIC has actively undertaken the annual joint action of fish proliferation and release in the hydropower industry, releasing 320,000 native fish such as Rhinogobio hunanensis, Procypris rabaudi and Sinilabeo decorus tungting in a year. Huanghe Company's Yangqu Hydropower Station has invested a total of 263 million yuan to build a series of ecological protection projects, taking practical actions to protect the beautiful "elves" in nature and helping China's biodiversity continue to "enrich".

When people live up to the mountains, the mountains will live up to people. SPIC has earnestly practiced the "Two Mountains" concept, created a new situation of high-quality development, and gained valuable development advantages. Among the numerous competitors, those who strive ahead will take the lead. At the new starting point, SPIC will surely take greater determination and more solid measures to help advance the construction of a beautiful China in an all-round way and add more green to the land of China.

(By Wang Qianqian, Shan Hongying, Liu Yuguo, Zhang Minmin)

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