China's ambitious West-East Gas Pipeline 4 just hit a major milestone ! The first section of this mega-project, stretching across the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, began operations on Sunday. Designed to pump 15 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually, it’s a game-changer for regional energy security and climate goals.
Think of it as a superhighway for clean energy —the pipeline connects northwestern resource hubs to high-demand areas. \"This upgrade boosts our total annual capacity to 92 billion cubic meters,\" said Wang Xinsheng, a key manager at PipeChina. That’s enough gas to power millions of homes while slashing reliance on coal!
But wait, there’s more cool tech: Engineers used extra-large pipes to withstand earthquakes and AI-powered monitoring for eco-friendly oversight. Plus, solar panels at pipeline stations will save enough electricity yearly to charge 45 million smartphones —and cut CO2 emissions equal to taking 80 cars off the road forever.
Spanning 1,745 km (that’s longer than a road trip from NYC to Chicago !), the pipeline will supercharge Xinjiang’s economy and deliver cleaner energy to millions. Talk about a win-win for Mother Earth and local communities!
Reference(s):
First section of China's West-East Gas Pipeline 4 operational
cgtn.com