Hidden amidst the windswept plains of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the Chinese mainland, the Dabancheng District once celebrated in folk lore for its maiden and sweet watermelons is charting a new legacy: China's Wind Valley.
Journey west from Urumqi along the Liangyungang-Horgos Highway and you'll be greeted by a surreal 'white forest'—thousands of wind turbines hugging the horizon. Their blades slice through gusts strong enough to rock passing vehicles, courtesy of the Venturi effect created by the narrow east-west strip flanked by mountains.
Spanning more than 1,500 square kilometers, this high-altitude corridor enjoys powerful breezes 214 days a year at force 6 or higher, and 149 days at force 8 or above. Over four decades, local authorities have harnessed these resources, assembling a wind power network that churns out roughly 2.5 billion kilowatt-hours annually—enough to cover Dabancheng's own grid and feed into China’s ambitious West-to-East Power Transmission Project.
By the end of 2024, the wider Xinjiang region had pumped 867.6 billion kWh eastward, with clean energy accounting for a staggering one-third of that flow. For young global citizens tracking sustainable energy trends, Dabancheng offers a compelling case study of how remote regions can power urban centers, reshape local economies, and drive the global energy transition.
As China accelerates its pivot to renewables, the story of Dabancheng reminds us that sometimes the strongest force needed to light up our cities comes from the relentless winds sweeping across untamed landscapes.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
