Great Power Reclamation

Chapter 2851 An even bolder plan
Although Junken City is located on the frontier, its biggest inconvenience in the past was the difficulty of transportation.

But none of that matters now. Don't forget that this place was once a vital stop on the Silk Road. So, although it's not by the sea, land transportation is very convenient and faster than sea transportation.

Especially for goods destined for Europe, shipments from here can reach their destination in just a few days. Although the price is a bit higher, the time factor completely makes up for this drawback.

Moreover, especially for Warrior New Energy's products, what is shipped out are basically raw materials, because under Ye Feng's leadership, Warrior New Energy's branches have sprung up everywhere.

In fact, new energy does not require much technology; most people can do it if you gather a team.

However, this only means that the product is functional; it looks fine, but its actual performance is completely different.

For example, the materials used in wind power generation are completely different between Northern Europe and Africa, because one is extremely cold and the other is extremely hot.

As for the manufacture of storage batteries, there are only a few materials; once assembled, they are ready to use.

But the key questions are: how much storage capacity? How many charge/discharge cycles? How long is the usage time?
This involves real technology; it's not something that can be produced by some makeshift team that just buys some equipment haphazardly.

Today, Warrior New Energy has firmly grasped these technologies, while Ye Feng uses his position to sell these products all over the world.

Especially for those remote areas where electricity is inconvenient, he wants to cover the entire area with new energy sources.

Of course, doing these things requires huge financial support, but he is not afraid.

Brothers Investment Bank is now among the top three investment banks in the United States, attracting a flood of money from the wealthy and middle class.

There's no way around it; the returns from Brother Investment Bank are just too high. Even Ye Feng's enemies put their money here. They may have a grudge against Ye Feng, but they have no grudge against money.

As an advocate and promoter of new energy, Ye Feng is now very famous all over the world, especially in impoverished areas where people have finally gained access to electricity.

As Ye Feng made a name for himself in the international market, Ye Mao in China was not to be outdone. He is now a mid-level cadre in the National Development and Reform Commission, independently in charge of a department, which happens to be in the field of new energy.

So, drawing on his brother Ye Feng's successful experience, he began to vigorously promote new energy sources in China.

It doesn't make sense that since most of the equipment was produced in the military reclamation city, we can't utilize it ourselves, right? At the very least, we have the right timing, location, and people.

Ye Mao stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the conference room, looking at the traffic flowing downstairs, his coffee already cold.

The sunlight streaming through the window fell on his sharply defined face, but it couldn't dispel the worry between his brows.

Yesterday, he received a research report on the progress of new energy projects; the data was chillingly realistic.

The distributed photovoltaic projects originally planned to be promoted in the five northwestern provinces have progressed less than 30% of the expected amount.

In some places, after receiving subsidies, people only carried out some symbolic vanity projects, which did not serve any purpose at all.

"Leader Ye, the meeting can begin." His secretary's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Ye Mao took a deep breath and turned to walk towards the conference table. Today's joint meeting with the heads of energy departments from various provinces was destined to be a tough battle.

The atmosphere in the meeting room was so heavy it seemed like you could wring water out of it.

The officials from various places had different expressions; some were looking down at documents, while others were talking in hushed tones, but their eyes all revealed a hint of resistance.

Ye Mao looked around and cleared his throat: "Colleagues, the reason I've gathered you all here today is to discuss the progress of new energy projects in China."

"Our country has enormous potential in the field of new energy, but current progress is not satisfactory."

No sooner had the words been spoken than the director of a provincial energy bureau spoke first:
"Leader Ye, it's not that we don't want to push it forward, but there are just too many difficulties. Take our province for example, many places have weak infrastructure, and the power grid simply cannot support the integration of new energy sources."

"Furthermore, the public also has concerns about new energy sources, worrying about unstable power supply."

Another person in charge echoed this sentiment:

"There's also the issue of funding. New energy projects require huge upfront investments and have long payback periods, putting immense pressure on local finances."

A buzz of discussion immediately filled the conference room as everyone poured out their grievances.

Ye Mao listened quietly, and only after everyone's voices gradually subsided did he calmly take out a document from the folder:
"The problems you all mentioned do exist, but they are not insurmountable. The first is the power grid transformation issue. We can learn from the experience of Junken City and adopt smart microgrid technology to achieve local consumption of new energy sources."

"As for funding, our sister investment bank is willing to provide low-interest loans for high-quality projects to alleviate local fiscal pressure."

However, his words did not receive the expected response. A deputy senior official in charge of industry frowned and said:
"Director Ye, we understand the principle, but it's too difficult to implement in practice. Junken City has special policy support and geographical advantages, which we can't replicate here."

"Moreover, traditional energy companies also have their own interests to pursue, and hastily promoting new energy sources could very likely trigger industry turmoil."

A hush fell over the conference room; the air seemed to freeze.

Ye Mao knew that this was the crux of the problem.

Traditional energy companies occupy a pivotal position in the local economy, and the interests behind them are deeply intertwined. Breaking the existing pattern is no easy task.
Just then, Ye Mao's phone suddenly vibrated. He looked down and saw a message from his brother, Ye Feng:

"Running into obstacles? Don't worry, I have an idea that might help you."

Ye Mao felt a warmth in his heart, as if he had seen a glimmer of dawn in the darkness.

After the meeting, Ye Mao flew to the military reclamation city overnight. Ye Feng warmly received him at the Warrior New Energy R&D Center.

Looking at the busy researchers and various advanced equipment in the laboratory, Ye Mao couldn't help but sigh:

"Brother, the development here is truly remarkable!"

Ye Feng chuckled and patted him on the shoulder: "You're not bad either; you're a leading figure in China's new energy sector now. Tell me, did you encounter any difficulties this time?"

Ye Mao sighed and recounted the events of the meeting in detail.

After a moment of contemplation, Ye Feng said, "I think the key to the problem lies in how to balance the interests of all parties."

"How about this, we can start a pilot project and bring in traditional energy companies, so they can see the potential of new energy and actively participate in the transformation."

"A pilot project?" Ye Mao's eyes lit up. "How exactly does it work?"

Ye Feng walked to the huge electronic sand table and quickly swiped his finger across the screen:
"Look, there is a place in the southwestern mountainous area with abundant wind resources, but due to inconvenient transportation, it is difficult to develop traditional energy sources."

“We can build an integrated wind, solar, and energy storage project there, with Warrior New Energy providing the technology and equipment, the local government responsible for infrastructure construction, and traditional energy companies contributing capital or resources as equity, to jointly operate the project.”

"But will they be willing?" Ye Mao was still a little worried.

“There will definitely be concerns at first, but as long as they see tangible benefits, there won't be any problems.”

Ye Feng confidently stated, "We can promise to prioritize local electricity supply, with any surplus electricity fed into the grid, and profits distributed according to shareholding." "Furthermore," he added, "this project will also stimulate local economic development and create jobs, which would be a significant achievement for the local government."

With Ye Feng's help, Ye Mao quickly drafted a plan for the pilot project.

However, when he submitted the plan to the National Development and Reform Commission, it was met with opposition from some leaders.

A senior leader said earnestly, "Xiao Ye, your idea is good, but you've taken too big a step."

"Traditional energy companies are the backbone of the national economy. Doing this is too risky. If something goes wrong, who will take responsibility?"

Ye Mao argued forcefully: "Leader, times are changing, and energy transition is an inevitable trend."

"If we don't proactively seek change, we will be left behind by the times. Pilot projects are just the beginning; we can continuously summarize our experiences in practice and gradually promote them."

After a heated discussion, the final plan was approved, mainly due to Ye Yuji's strong support, but she also gave him a firm order:

Only success is allowed; failure is not permitted.

After the pilot project was officially launched, Ye Mao practically lived at the construction site.

He works with technicians and workers every day to solve various unexpected problems.

However, just as the project was nearing completion, an accident occurred.

Local villagers protested at the construction site, demanding a halt to construction, because they were worried about the environmental impact of the wind turbines.

Ye Mao arrived at the scene immediately. Seeing the agitated villagers, he did not rush to explain, but patiently listened to their demands.

An elderly villager said, "These big machines make a buzzing noise when they turn, making it impossible to sleep at night. And I've heard they even affect crop growth. How are we supposed to live?"

Ye Mao realized that this was because the previous popular science publicity was inadequate, which led to the villagers' misunderstanding of new energy.

He immediately decided to suspend construction and organized a team of experts to conduct door-to-door science popularization lectures, explaining the principles and benefits of wind power generation to the villagers in simple and easy-to-understand language.

He also promised to take noise reduction measures to minimize the impact on the lives of villagers.

After several days of effort, the villagers' attitudes finally changed.

A young villager said, "After listening to the expert's explanation, I realized that new energy sources have so many benefits. As long as it doesn't affect our lives, we will definitely support it."

Thanks to Ye Mao's tireless efforts, the pilot project was finally completed and put into operation.

Watching the rows of wind turbines slowly turn, converting wind energy into clean electricity, Ye Mao felt a great sense of accomplishment.

What pleased him even more was that after the project was put into operation, it not only met the local electricity demand, but also generated considerable economic benefits.

Traditional energy companies have recognized the potential of new energy sources and have proactively expressed their intention to cooperate.

With the success of the pilot projects, Ye Mao faced less and less resistance in promoting new energy sources in the country.

More and more local governments are taking the initiative to apply for new energy projects, and traditional energy companies are also accelerating their transformation.

Ye Mao knows that this is just the beginning, and there is still a long way to go on the road of new energy. But he firmly believes that as long as he perseveres, he will definitely be able to contribute to the country's energy transformation and green development.

Moreover, China is a vast country with abundant resources, and its combined area and population can exceed that of the whole of Europe. It also has a complex terrain, with some areas suffering from sandstorms and others experiencing drought and little rainfall.

These places also share a common characteristic: plants struggle to grow there. Yet, these are precisely the places where new energy sources thrive.

Now that the Warrior Group's energy storage equipment is so reliable, it would be a waste not to make use of these resources.

Ye Mao stood on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert, the yellow sand beneath his feet gleaming blindingly white under the scorching sun.

In the distance, vast stretches of photovoltaic panels spread across the desert like a blue ocean, creating a striking contrast with the golden desert landscape.

This is another major step he has taken in promoting new energy, following his pilot project in the southwestern mountainous area—building a large-scale photovoltaic power generation base in the world's second largest shifting sand desert.

"Leader Ye, the first batch of photovoltaic panels has been one-third installed."

Engineer Xiao Wang's voice came through the walkie-talkie, tinged with excitement, "At this pace, it will be fully completed within six months!"

Ye Mao nodded, but his brows were furrowed. Although the project was progressing smoothly, he still had a weight on his mind.

Building a photovoltaic power station in the desert presents challenges far beyond imagination.

High temperatures, sandstorms, and extreme weather conditions can all cause fatal damage to equipment.

More importantly, how can this project truly take root and drive local development, rather than becoming a flashy but impractical "vanity project" like some other places have done in the past?

Just then, a sudden gust of wind swept in, and yellow sand flew everywhere.

Ye Mao quickly covered his eyes with his hands, his heart tightening. Such windy and sandy weather was causing too much damage to the photovoltaic panels!

Sure enough, after the wind stopped, he found that some of the photovoltaic panels were covered with scratches and the cleaning robot had malfunctioned.

We have to think of a way!

Ye Mao made up his mind. He immediately convened a meeting of his expert team to discuss solutions.

After several days of research, they came up with a bold idea.

Drought-resistant plants are planted under the photovoltaic panels, forming a three-dimensional ecological model of "power generation on the panels, planting between the panels, and aquaculture under the panels".

Planting trees in the desert? Isn't that a pipe dream?

When Ye Mao proposed this idea, it was met with skepticism from many people.

Even his brother Ye Feng, who had always supported him, frowned:

"Xiao Mao, you've seen the desert environment. Forget planting trees, even cacti struggle to survive."

Ye Mao, however, was confident: "Brother, I've done my research. Solar panels can block sunlight, lower the ground temperature, and reduce moisture evaporation."

"Furthermore, the solar panels condense dew at night, which creates favorable conditions for plant growth. We can start with small-scale trials."

(End of this chapter)