China Daily reporters explore green power development in Tianjin

Recently, a group of China Daily reporters spent days on the road across Tianjin's Jizhou and Wuqing districts to film two episodes of Tianjin Calling that explore how State Grid Tianjin Electric Power Company is advancing green, low-carbon development across the city.

We set out to document infrastructure upgrades on the ground. What we found was that reliable, green electricity is reshaping everyday life.

In Jizhou's Xijingyu village, a historic settlement built entirely from stone, what strikes visitors first is how its traditional character has been preserved. It is hard to imagine that just a few years ago, the village ran on only two small transformers and suffered frequent blackouts during peak tourist seasons. Today, through grid upgrades delivered by State Grid Tianjin Jizhou Company, 14 distribution transformers and 29 public charging points power 73 homestays, coffee shops, and boutiques. Heating, hot spring water, and kitchen facilities all run on electricity, replacing coal and gas.

The village now draws more than 600,000 visitors a year. What moved us most was that the power upgrades protected the village's character rather than eroding it. A dedicated team monitors the grid 24/7, so villagers and visitors barely notice the infrastructure behind it all.

In Wuqing, we visited the Urban Comprehensive Charging Demonstration Station built by State Grid Tianjin Wuqing Company, and it quickly became clear this was no ordinary charging lot. DC fast chargers deliver 10 times the power of home units, enough to top up a battery while drivers shop.

What is more remarkable is the two-way interaction between vehicles and the grid. Linked with six nearby stations, the system dispatches EVs to feed power back during peak hours and charges them during off-peak hours, turning millions of private cars into mobile power banks.

With 535 square meters of rooftop solar panels and 100 percent green electricity supply, the station is also a low-carbon public space with rest areas and dual-carbon education.

Filming these stories took careful preparation. We arrived early to capture morning light in the mountain village, waited through peak charging hours at the station, and worked with our international colleague to make sure the storytelling resonated with global readers. We did not want a promotional piece; we wanted to show real people, real changes, and replicable solutions.

Green power is not an abstract concept. It is the hot water in a village homestay, the preserved beauty of an ancient stone village, the shorter charging time for a driver on a highway. That is the story we set out to tell.