We continue our journey on the Belt and Road. Setting out from Urumqi, capital of China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, our reporters have traveled to Kazakhstan, Ethiopia and Malaysia. We first go to Kazakhstan, where the Shelek Wind Farm stands as an important example of China-Kazakhstan energy cooperation. Ning Hong reports.

At the Shelek Wind Farm, local staff are inspecting the turbines, launched in June 2022.

BAKYTZHAN ARPAN Deputy Chief, Shelek Wind Power Farm "The sixty-megawatt Shelek Wind Farm alleviates the power shortage in Almaty to some extent, and also reduces annual carbon dioxide emissions."

NING HONG Shelek, Almaty "This is the Shelek Wind Farm, a major project between China and Kazakhstan to promote sustainable development in the region."

The Shelek Wind Farm boasts an installed capacity of sixty megawatts, housing twenty-four wind turbine units developed and operated by Power China. The Shelek project was executed by Power China's Chengdu Branch. Zhang Shuai, hailing from Chengdu, has been involved in the project from start to finish, over the course of four years.

ZHANG SHUAI Project Manager, Power China Chengdu "Returning here, I'm still very excited and proud. After our project was put into operation, it can produce 228-million kilowatts per hour of clean, green energy annually, providing stable electricity for 70,000 local households. It's estimated that it can reduce 160,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, annually."

The Shelek Wind Farm adopts wind turbines and construction standards from China, with a high degree of automation. The control room at the wind farm is manned by professionals from both China and Kazakhstan, closely monitoring the wind turbines through the system. The wind farm has been stable for over a year.

RASHITKHANOV AMIT ARKENOVICH Operator, Shelek Wind Power Farm "I majored in computer science, and this highly automated job is very much needed for my profession. I really like this job because this wind farm has the most advanced automation equipment in Kazakhstan, and I've learned a lot."

The wind farm is currently in its operational phase, and engineering teams from Power China and Kazakhstan are jointly responsible.

Dmitry Zinevich, a senior energy expert in Kazakhstan, underscores the vast potential for renewable energy in the country. He's currently cooperating with Power China to develop renewable energy in the Central Asian country, and envisions a bright future.

DMITRIY ZINEVICH General Manager, Too Kaz Hydro "In Kazakhstan, I think there's huge potential for hydropower, wind energy and solar energy, which means many projects can be carried out here. The vast grasslands of Kazakhstan have great wind energy potential, and many more stations can be built than currently exist."

In the past four years, Zhang Shuai has developed a strong interest and affection for Kazakhstan, and he hopes to return.

ZHANG SHUAI Project Manager, Power China Chengdu "In the past four years, I've dedicated myself to the Shelek Wind Farm project. Emotionally, I now feel this wind farm is like my second child."

After more than a year since it was launched, experts say the Shelek Wind Farm shows the potential, and feasibility, of China-Kazakh cooperation in green energy. 

Ning Hong, CGTN, Almaty.