Hebei: Rural Energy Use Becomes Smarter, Baiyangdian Lake Gains New Greenery

SHIJIAZHUANG, China, Nov. 19, 2024 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/–

Taking a boat from Dazhangzhuang Dock in Anxin County, Xiong’an New Area, Hebei Province, one can arrive at Wangjiazhai Village, surrounded by water on all sides, in 20 minutes. Walking into the Erpingtai Farmhouse in the village, Di Jianqing, the person in charge, was warmly entertaining the guests staying there. “Here, you can not only enjoy fully electrified accommodation services but also taste authentic farm cuisine,” he said.

In 2023, State Grid Hebei Electric Power accelerated the construction of a new-type power system and created a microgrid demonstration project in Baiyangdian Lake, Xiong’an New Area. By utilizing the abundant solar energy resources in the core scenic area of Baiyangdian Lake to build distributed photovoltaic equipment, equipping energy storage devices, and upgrading and renovating a 35kV substation in the area, it achieved coordinated operation of the source-grid-load-storage and improved the high-reliability power supply level in the Baiyangdian scenic area, promoting green energy use in rural areas.

“In the past, the energy supply for villagers’ daily lives mostly relied on coal transported into the village by small boats. Every winter, a vast number of coal-carrying boats would float on the water, creating a dark and dense scene,” said Di Jianqing. In 2021, in order to improve the ecological environment of Baiyangdian Lake, Wangjiazhai Village and surrounding villages began to implement the “coal-to-electricity” project. According to calculations, the maximum power load in the scenic area after the renovation increased, and the power supply demand could not be effectively met.”

Soon, a work plan regarding the construction of new power grid facilities in Baiyangdian Lake was put on the agenda. However, problems of building a power grid in water areas also emerged. The reconstruction of traditional overhead lines required towers to be set up in the water, which was not conducive to ecological protection; laying cables underwater would also damage the ecology of the lake and make it more difficult to inspect the equipment.

“After conducting multi-faceted discussions, we chose Wangjiazhai Village as a pilot and planned to construct a green and intelligent microgrid demonstration project. By optimizing photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, and energy storage devices, we can store excess electric energy locally during periods of high photovoltaic generation and then use the energy storage devices to release electric energy during peak load periods, thereby satisfying villagers’ needs for clean heating in winter and 24/7 green power supply in summer, achieving self-balancing of power supply and demand,” introduced the staff of State Grid Hebei Electric Power. They installed 300kW of photovoltaic power generation equipment and 4kW of wind turbine generators on the power supply side, and equipped them with a 3300kWh energy storage device. If there are abnormalities in the external power grid, the microgrid in Wangjiazhai Village can operate independently for 38.37 hours, and the self-produced green power can meet the villagers’ electricity demand for 1.5 days.

In August 2022, State Grid Hebei Electric Power completed the Baiyangdian Microgrid Demonstration Project based on the Wangjiazhai Green Intelligent Microgrid Demonstration Project, upgrading the voltage level from 10kV to 35kV and achieving an upgrade of the new power system demonstration from the “village level” to the “township level”. Nowadays, the power supply reliability in the core scenic area of Baiyangdian Lake can be increased to 99.94%, with the average outage time for households reduced by 80%. According to the final plan, the photovoltaic system can produce 6.93 million kWh of green power annually, replacing 2,772 tonnes of coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 6,910 tonnes.

The intelligent microgrid has not only made it more convenient for villagers to use electricity but also promoted the development of local tourism. Combining regional characteristics and microgrid forms, State Grid Hebei Electric Power has actively explored new energy supply models for beautiful villages and formulated thoughtful power supply service measures for the core scenic area of Baiyangdian Lake, enhancing villagers’ experience of smart living.

At the Wangjiazhai Village Mutual Aid Association, appliances such as air conditioners and televisions use direct current, allowing for services such as public welfare medical care and emergency shelter for villagers and tourists without relying on external power supply in emergencies. At the dock square, there are photovoltaic chairs that can charge mobile phones using sunlight, pressure walkways that generate electricity when people walk on them, smart street lights and trash cans that are completely powered by photovoltaic power generation, etc. A series of low-carbon and energy-saving facilities implemented alongside the microgrid have brought convenience to tourists and have been welcomed by them.

The production, lifestyle, and energy consumption patterns of the villagers have undergone transformations. This ancient village, which is over a thousand years old, has bid farewell to “black coal balls” and transformed into an all-electric green ecological scenic area. “Nowadays, the ecological environment of Baiyangdian Lake is getting better and better. It receives more than 25,000 tourists every year, which has vigorously promoted the development of tourism industries such as rural homestays and catering. The lives of the villagers are becoming more prosperous,” said Di Jianqing, who is full of expectations for green development.