Nanning transforms urban waste into energy

Since starting operations, the park has treated 4.7 million tons of solid waste, generated 1.87 billion kWh of electricity, saved 410,200 tons of standard coal and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 1.03 million tons.

Beyond the park's own achievements, Nanning has been building a citywide recycling system that covers industrial, household, construction, agricultural and hazardous waste, according to local authorities.

The resource utilization rate for household waste in the city has reached 86.65 percent. For hazardous waste, the utilization and disposal rate stands at 96.98 percent, while the harmless disposal rate for medical waste remains at 100 percent.

Nanning has also made notable progress in clean energy development. As of the end of 2025, renewable energy accounted for 85 percent of the city's installed power generation capacity and 70 percent of its actual electricity generation, according to city authorities.

While renewable energy development has been robust, the inherent intermittency and variability of wind and solar generation have created significant challenges for the city's power grid.

Against this backdrop, Nanning authorities launched the construction of the Nanning Pumped-Storage Power Station in July 2022. Its upper reservoir sits on Baizao Mountain, while the lower reservoir is located about 3 kilometers to the southwest. With a height difference of 470 meters between the two reservoirs, the station functions as a large-scale energy storage facility for the grid.

As a traditional method of energy storage, pumped storage uses surplus electricity during off-peak hours to pump water to the upper reservoir and then releases it to generate power when demand rises.

With a total investment of 7.93 billion yuan, the Nanning Pumped-Storage Power Station features four 300-megawatt units, giving it total installed capacity of 1,200 MW and a designed annual power generation of nearly 1 billion kWh.

Liu Yi, deputy general manager of Nanning Pumped Storage Co, said that as of May 31, the station had generated 239 million kWh of electricity and consumed 297 million kWh for pumping, with overall efficiency reaching 80 percent.

He added that the power station has provided strong support for the local power grid in peak shaving, frequency regulation and emergency reserve, significantly enhancing grid reliability.

The company has also built a supporting battery-swapping station for heavy-duty electric trucks, equipped with 20 electric vehicles and four 300-kW charging piles, enabling rapid battery swaps in just 3 to 5 minutes. According to the company, the station saves 680,000 liters of fuel annually and cuts carbon dioxide emissions by 1,800 tons per year.

Contact the writers at houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn