The Big Picture: Here comes the sun

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Although seen as a big polluter, China is leading the world in clean energy consumption. To find out China’s solutions to global warming, CGTN reporters went to Dezhou, Shandong Province, to meet a man whose visions on solar energy could change the future of cities around the world.

'It’s a game, it’s life.'

When we first met Huang Ming, he was playing football at his Solar Valley, where most of the energy consumed comes from the sun. “Playing football is just like doing business. You need passion and spirit. It’s a game, it’s life,” Huang, chairman of Himin Solar told CGTN.

Huang Ming, chairman of Himin Solar /CGTN Photo

The 60-year-old Huang spent the last 30 years building both his company and Solar Valley from scratch. Today, Himin Solar is one of the world’s biggest producers of solar heaters and also a pioneer in research and development of everyday solar products.

'Craziest guy in solar industry'

Although nicknamed "Sun King" or "Solar King", Huang jokes that he prefers to be called the world’s “craziest guy in solar industry.”

“At first, I was crazy about the oil industry and petroleum resources. But when I had my daughter in 1986, I felt guilty to be an oil person.”

Huang became anxious about how his daughter’s life would be without fossil fuel and clear skies in the future. He then set about his dream to create Solar Valley.

'Misconceptions of solar'

Huang pointed out that there are misconceptions about solar energy.

“Energy consumption is not only from the power station. The efficiency of a photovoltaic (PV) system is usually less than 20%,” he said. “However, the efficiency of solar thermals is three times higher than PV, and the cost is only one third of PV.”

Promoting green energy is China’s national strategy, yet Huang has different opinions.

A peek of Huang Ming’s factory /CGTN Photo

“All governments, no matter western or eastern, they all want to promote solar or new energy. But they may take it in the wrong way.”

He quoted the concept of "invisible hand", a term used to describe the unintended social benefits of individual self-interested actions, and said frankly that he wishes the solar industry could develop just like the model of the IT or mobile phone industry.

“(It should be) without any policies intents or financial supports, but completely reply on market demand,” the “visible hand”, Huang claimed, would only ruin the industry.

'Making solar everything'

Semi-circular structure of the Solar Valley /CGTN Photo

Huang's Solar Valley, located some 300 kilometers south of Beijing, is what he calls “the biggest solar energy production base in the whole world.” The base contains a five-star solar hotel, solar research labs, solar heater factories, a solar college, and convention centers.

Huang is proud of his creation while remaining sober, understanding that, “Solar Valley is a dream. Maybe you can call it a future. But mankind should get to the final goal step by step, so we must find more practical solutions than Solar Valley.”

Huang’s solution is to commercialize solar products.

Huang Ming believes there is still so much to be done by better using solar energy. /CGTN Photo

“We have solar hats, solar bags, solar chargers, solar cookers, solar heaters, solar everything.” He believes there’s still so much to be done by better using solar energy.

“My dream is that all the people will automatically buy solar, go green.” Huang knows that his products are now more expensive than similar ones that use other sources of energy, but he is optimistic that one day, solar products will touch everything and be everywhere.

276km

Episode 1: The Big Picture: Can China feed its population?

Episode 2: The Big Picture: Eradicating poverty in rural Xinjiang

Episode 4: The Big Picture: Tea time in Wuyi