Construction workers are busy installing photovoltaic panels on the roofs of livestock farm pens in Banqiao town, Linze county, Zhangye, Gansu province, on April 15, 2024. [Photo provided to gogansu.com]

Amid the rolling hills of Linze county in Zhangye, Gansu province, construction workers are busy transforming the rooftops of livestock pens into solar power generators, paving the way for a sustainable and efficient approach to animal farming.

At the Huize Beef Cattle Breeding Farm and the Smart Mugu Breeding Farm in Banqiao town, the air is filled with the sounds of welding as workers tirelessly assemble steel frames for pens and erect photovoltaic panels. The goal is clear: to have a fully operational integrated solar-powered livestock farming system by May, capable of feeding 5,000 beef cattle and generating 5.9 terawatt-hours of electricity annually.

In recent years, Linze county has embarked on a pioneering initiative to transform rooftops into "green electricity production lines" by installing photovoltaic panels on livestock pens. This innovative approach, known as "photovoltaic plus livestock farming," allows for simultaneous electricity generation and livestock rearing, maximizing land utilization and promoting sustainable development.

The county has already implemented 22 megawatts of distributed photovoltaic power generation projects, generating 30 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. This translates to an annual reduction of 11,000 tons of standard coal and a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 347,000 tons of CO2.