Guizhou forges a green legacy with mineral resources

Pingqing Power Station, the first photovoltaic power station in Guizhou. [Photo provided to eguizhou.gov.cn]

Once defined by coal mining, Southwest China's Guizhou province is now leading a transformation – converting coal into green prosperity through innovation, sustainability, and strategic vision.

In areas like Liupanshui, Bijie, and Qianxinan, coal remains central but no longer king. Today, Guizhou prioritizes precise mining, a philosophy of extracting maximum value with minimal waste.

By 2024, Bijie had built 49 intelligent mining workfaces, leading the province with 48 percent of Guizhou's automated coal operations. These high-tech systems blend AI, robotics, and green practices to slash emissions while boosting efficiency.

But Guizhou's ambitions stretch beyond coal. Alongside upgrading traditional power plants for flexibility and lower carbon footprints, the province is weaving a new energy tapestry.

Solar panels now cascade across the hills in Guanling county, where the colossal Panjiang photovoltaic project – which has already generated 1.33 million kilowatts – is expanding. Its third phase, the Dazhai Agricultural Solar Station, promises to fuse clean energy with farmland, symbolizing a future where industry and ecology coexist.

Reliable electricity has turned Guizhou into a digital powerhouse, fueling AI innovations like DeepSeek and rendering blockbusters like Ne Zha 2. Behind these tech marvels lies a robust energy backbone: in 2024, Guizhou's new energy sector reached 308.65 billion yuan ($42.5 billion) in output.