'Planting' infertile land with solar panels brings power and money

The Yellow River runs through Ruicheng county in Yuncheng city, Shanxi province. In the past, its wealth came from the fertile soil the river deposited, but now, the county has a new calling card: solar power.

The first phase of the county's photovoltaic power generation project, which was built between 2016 and 2020 using 4.2 billion yuan ($657 million) of central government funding, began generating electricity for the state grid on Sept 30 last year.

According to the Ruicheng government, during the first two months of trial operations, the project generated 95 million kilowatts of electricity worth 76 million yuan, while construction of the project had brought in about 30 million yuan in tax revenue over the past four years.

One elderly farmer, who lives alone in the county's Shangpo village, has been happy to see the changes the project has made to his life.

"The solar power panels have been placed on barren mountain slopes, and as long as there is sunshine, they are making money," he said.

Part of the revenue from the project goes to local farmers in the form of land rent, and local government has also encouraged residents, particularly those from low-income families, to take jobs related to the project.

Liu Tianhu, a 53-year-old farmer from Wangyao village, now works with his elder son on construction of the second phase of the solar power project. He has also rented 2 hectares of farmland to the government for the project.

"I am satisfied with the changes the solar power project is bringing to my family," said Liu, who now has enough income to care for his sick wife and aged parents.

Shuiyu village, which lies at the foot of the Zhongtiao Mountains, is emblematic of the project's benefits. Some 113 hectares of infertile land in the village have been rented to the government for the project, while the villagers focus on planting cash crops, such as oil peonies, on more fertile farmland. As a result, all 731 formerly impoverished residents of the village with a population of 2,800 have been lifted out of poverty.

The government has rented nearly 1,340 hectares of land from 2,211 families for the first phase of the project. The rent alone, which amounts to about 5.03 million yuan a year, has helped lift 521 families and 1,418 people out of poverty.

Sun Weisheng, deputy secretary of Shiyu's Party committee, said that the solar power project has brought hope to the farmers.

"It makes a good use of infertile land, and effectively increases the farmers' incomes," Sun said.

Liu Zhihong, Yuncheng Party chief, said the clean energy project is helping the city explore a new development model and create multiple wins. He looks forward to the completion of the second phase.

Zhang Jianjun, head of the Ruicheng government, estimates that after the second phase is put into operation, the overall production value of the county's solar power industry will hit 1.2 billion yuan a year.

"The development of the solar power industry will also boost other industries in the supply chain, and foster the high-quality development of Ruicheng," Zhang said.

"Once the farmers become wealthier, they can improve their village infrastructure and attract tourists, forming a virtuous economic cycle."