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Rich in history and culture and with a powerful economy and military, China is seen by many as the emerging global superpower.



When it comes to renewable energy, China is, in many ways, striking out on its own. According to the International Energy Agency, new solar photovoltaic capacity grew by 50 percent in 2016. China alone accounted for nearly half that expansion. In the wind energy sector, China installed a staggering 23.4 gigawatts of new capacity in 2016, according to the Global Wind Energy Council.



It's no surprise, then, that the country can boast several projects and facilities that are grand in both ambition and scale. Here's six of them.

Longtan Hydropower Station, Guangxi

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Situated on the Hongshui River, the dam for the Longtan Hydropower Station stands just over 216 meters tall. The power station has a capacity of more than 6,000 megawatts (MW).

Solar road, Jinan

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The city of Jinan, in the eastern province of Shandong, is home to a "solar expressway" covering 5,875 square meters.



According to state news agency Xinhua, the panels on the road can produce 1 million kilowatt hours of power per year, enough to meet the needs of roughly 800 homes.

Donghai Bridge Wind Farm

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China's Donghai Bridge Wind Farm is located in the East China Sea. It has a capacity of just over 100 MW and comprises 34 turbines.

Three Gorges Dam, Hubei

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A vast hydropower facility, the Three Gorges Dam stands roughly 181 meters tall and has a length of around 2,335 meters, according to the United States Geological Survey. The facility, which is located on the Yangtze River, has a capacity of 22,500 MW.

Panda Power Plant, Shanxi

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Last summer, the Panda Green Energy Group announced that the Panda Power Plant in Datong, Shanxi, had been connected to the grid and entered its testing phase. With an install capacity of 100 MW, the business said that it could produce 3.2 billion kilowatt hours of green electricity over 25 years, representing an equivalent saving of 1.056 million tons of coal.

Shenzen's electric buses, Guangdong

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