From the banks of the Yangtze River to the depths of the ocean, from mountain valleys to desert plateaus, monumental dams stand tall, wind turbines spin steadily, and vast photovoltaic arrays stretch across highlands, coastal flats, and rugged terrain—collectively shaping China's modern energy landscape. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, guided by the "dual carbon" goals, China established the world's largest renewable energy system and new energy industrial chain. Across the nation, clean energy brands like "China Three Gorges" have both witnessed and actively contributed to this transformative journey toward sustainable development.

**Hydropower Illuminates Millions of Homes** The 14th Five-Year Plan marked a milestone in China's hydropower development. Over these five years, Three Gorges Group reinforced its core strength in large-scale hydropower, solidifying China's global leadership in the sector and fueling the nation's modernization drive. On December 20, 2022, the Baihetan Hydropower Station achieved full operation as its 16th million-kilowatt unit went online, completing the world's largest clean energy corridor along the Yangtze River.

Spanning 1,800 kilometers with a total installed capacity of 71.695 gigawatts, this corridor generates approximately 300 billion kilowatt-hours of green electricity annually—equivalent to saving 90.45 million tons of standard coal and reducing CO₂ emissions by 248 million tons. This achievement is pivotal for building a new energy system and ensuring national energy security.

With the completion of the Wudongde and Baihetan stations, China's hydropower sector reached new technological heights: - **Three Leaps in Hydropower Equipment**: Unit capacity surged from 700 MW at Three Gorges to 850 MW at Wudongde and 1,000 MW at Baihetan, showcasing China's innovation prowess. - **Upgraded Industrial Chain**: Domestic 800 MPa high-strength steel, once reliant on imports, became widely used, paving the way for further advancements. - **Smart Construction Breakthroughs**: Projects like Xiluodu, Wudongde, and Baihetan pioneered intelligent dam-building technologies, integrating real-time monitoring and AI-driven optimization to create "the smartest" hydropower feats.

Three Gorges Group also operationalized cutting-edge innovations: - At Three Gorges Plant, robots named "Jianxingzhe" now handle 500 kV GIS inspections, improving efficiency over manual checks. - Xiangjiaba Station completed a full-system upgrade, becoming China's first giant hydropower plant with autonomous, intelligent operation capabilities. - Xiluodu mastered fault-prevention technology for Gildan Activewear (GIL) lines, ending reactive repairs and enhancing long-term stability.

**Global Leadership and Collaboration** China's hydropower expertise, epitomized by Three Gorges, has gone global. The Karot Hydropower Plant in Pakistan, the first China-Pakistan Economic Corridor energy project, now shines as a "green jewel" on the Jhelum River. In Brazil, Three Gorges Brazil revitalized the 40-year-old Jupiá and Ilha Solteira plants with tech upgrades, boosting capacity and enabling remote control to meet local benchmarks.

**Renewables: Wind and Solar Momentum** Aligned with China's 2030 carbon peak and 2060 neutrality goals, Three Gorges accelerated green energy transitions: - **Desert Mega-Bases**: In Kubuqi Desert, 3.87 million solar panels form a gigawatt-scale "sand-gobi-desert" base, while Xinjiang’s Taklimakan project supports national grid transformation. - **Offshore Wind Dominance**: Coastal bases in Jiangsu, Guangdong, and Fujian tackled deep-sea construction and typhoon-resistant turbines, establishing a full offshore wind industrial chain. - **Integrated Hydropower-Wind-Solar**: Studies in the lower Jinsha River basin led to 2.6 GW of Yunnan-based projects, blending water, wind, and solar for stable output. - **Innovative Models**: Projects like Wulanchabu’s modern energy park and Anhui’s 650 MW floating solar array on coal-subsidence areas turned challenges into economic opportunities.

**Tech-Driven Green Transition** Three Gorges’ innovations earned national recognition, including the 2023 State Scientific Progress Award for offshore wind technology, now deployed in 70% of China’s projects. In 2024, the Yunnan Mile Shidongshan wind farm launched the world’s first IGCT-based flexible DC project, advancing lightweight, domestic converter systems for deserts, offshore wind, and urban grids.

Digital twins and big data now enable unmanned operations at offshore wind and solar sites, ensuring safety and efficiency.

**Pioneering Energy Storage and Grid Stability** Three Gorges championed next-gen power systems: - **Hybrid Storage**: The Wulanchabu "grid-friendly" station combines high-capacity storage with smart controls to balance Mongolia’s grid. - **Solar-Thermal Breakthrough**: October 2024 saw the launch of the 700 MW Guazhou "solar-thermal storage+" plant, featuring twin 200-meter towers to supply 1.8 billion kWh yearly. - **Pumped Storage Expansion**: Projects like Zhejiang’s Changlongshan (600 rpm units, world-leading tech) and Tiantai (724-meter head, 425 MW units) bolster grid flexibility. Over 19 GW of pumped storage is underway.

**New Energy Storage Frontiers** In August 2024, Xinjiang’s 100 MW PV + 200 MW/1 GWh vanadium flow battery—China’s largest—began testing. Meanwhile, Hami’s 1 GW "linear Fresnel" solar-thermal hybrid, a global pioneer, achieved full-grid integration in September, propelling thermal storage from pilot to industrial scale.

Through relentless innovation, Three Gorges Group has not only powered China’s green transition but also set a global benchmark for sustainable energy development.