On October 8, in the village of Songming Bias, Cameroon, villagers celebrated the official opening of the rural off-grid solar power station project built by China companies. Published by Xinhua Agency (Photo by Kopso)

The New York Times on October 17. Question: Looking at non-green cooperation empowers development from photovoltaic applications

The New York Times reporter Wang.

In early October, in several villages in the tropical rainforest of the central region of Cameroon, villagers danced with songs to celebrate the official launch of the rural off-grid solar power plant project built by Chinese enterprises.

A panel of photovoltaic panels spread across the rainforest and desert to illuminate people¡¯s lives. Today, solar panels in hot land across Africa absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity, not only contributing to the green transformation of Africa¡¯s energy structures, but also profoundly changing the lives and future of local people.

On October 8th, people watched TV programs at home in Bias Village, Songming, Cameroon. Published by Xinhua News Agency (photo by Copso)

Chinese photovoltaic products into African families

For a long time, the problem of power shortage has been plaguing Buea, the capital of southwestern Cameroon, and other places. Emmanuel Tabe, a resident, said, "There will be power outages here from time to time, sometimes even for two or three weeks. The refrigerator can't be used, the food goes bad, and the children can't do their homework at night".

Today, all this has become the past. Benefit from Chinese photovoltaic products, solar street lights can be seen everywhere in Boya Street, and many houses have photovoltaic panels installed on the roofs. Tabe has been kindly referred to as the "Chinese Sunman" because of the early introduction of Chinese photovoltaic products.

Approximately eight years ago, he began to learn about photovoltaic products, then went to China several times to purchase, use and start selling in Cameroon. Now, the greatest benefit of his home lighting, cooking and household appliances using solar energy is that we have electricity every day.¡± he said, ¡°The quality of photovoltaic products from China are inexpensive and very popular.

Dixon Enjamshi, who is also engaged in the sale of solar products in Boya, says that because the streets are bright, the safety of the night is greatly enhanced and before the dark people dare not go out, now people are willing to go out in the evening activities, the night economy has also begun to develop, "the 33-year-old businessman said.

Customer Mary Engie said when buying energy storage batteries, Chinese photovoltaic products have improved her life.I use solar water and cooking, very convenient and affordable, now no longer afraid of power outages. "

Dieudonne Mba, another customer, felt the same way. "Since we have these solar panels, we have electricity day and night, children can study at night, and life has become much simpler."

This is a solar power plant photographed in the village of Minbias in Cameroon on October 8 (drone photo).

Solar power generation helps develop African countries

In the capital of the Central African Republic, Benghazi, about 9 kilometers to the west, the city of Bingham, the unspoiled tree ring embraces a square area of about 160,000 square meters, which is arranged together with more than thirty thousand two meters long, one meter wide solar panels, forming a whole shade of blue "big mirror".

It is by this "giant mirror" that the abundant local solar energy is converted into electric energy, which is continuously transported to factories, schools and thousands of households in Bangui through combiner boxes, booster stations, power grids and other facilities.

This is the first photovoltaic power station in the Central African Republic-Sakay Photovoltaic Power Station. The power station is general contracted by China Energy Construction Group Tianjin Electric Power Construction Co., Ltd., with an installed capacity of 15 megawatts. Its completion has effectively alleviated Bangui's electricity difficulties.

Official data show that the power plant meets about 30 percent of the city¡¯s electricity needs. 32-year-old Emmanuel-Boris Yang Duanghi, a resident of Bangui, said, ¡°The night economy has grown. My family runs a night restaurant, and the ¡®solar field¡¯ gives the place new vitality.¡±

China's photovoltaic industry continues to provide power support to African countries. In Kenya, the Garissa 50 MW photovoltaic power station built by a Chinese enterprise was officially put into operation in 2019, which can meet the electricity needs of more than 380,000 people in 70,000 households and effectively alleviate the local "power shortage"; In Zambia, the Kabwe 100 MW photovoltaic power station project, the country's largest installed single photovoltaic project, held a grid-connected power generation ceremony in June this year. It is estimated that the annual power generation will be approximately 180 million kilowatt hours, providing stable and reliable power support for Zambia's mining modernization and agricultural development.

This is a solar power plant photographed in the village of Minbias in Cameroon on October 8 (drone photo).

Building a greener future.

China has long supported the green development of Africa, and the cumulative installation capacity of photovoltaic power plants built in China-Africa cooperation alone has exceeded 1.5 gigawatts.

China-Africa cooperation in the field of clean energy continues to advance. China officially launched the "African Light Belt" South-South cooperation project at the African Climate Summit in September 2023, aiming to use the advantages of the photovoltaic industry to help Africa cope with climate change, and at the same time solve the problem of electricity lighting for poor families without electricity, and help Africa truly get out of the green and low-carbon development path.

Majitolum Timotey, a resident of the small town of Toba in southern Chad, told reporters that he looked forward to the "African Belt" entering his hometown as soon as possible. "We hope this project will improve our lives and revitalize our production, and I am confident in that."

In Cameroon, Huawei Cameroon is advancing the third phase of the rural off-grid solar power station project. Since signing a contract with the Ministry of Water Resources and Energy of Cameroon in 2012, the project has built and completed commercial nearly 500 off-grid solar stations, with a total installed capacity of 32.8 MW and a cumulative annual power generation capacity of 47.9 gigawatt hours.

The project manager Li Yongqing said, ¡°The photovoltaic power plants can not only power villagers, but also share excess power with local telecommunications operators, ensuring mobile signal coverage in rural areas. These power plants can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 36,000 tons annually, equivalent to planting 100,000 trees.¡±

This is a solar power plant photographed in the village of Minbias in Cameroon on October 8 (drone photo).