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The world’s first zero-carbon smart energy center! On August 1, the world’s first practical and large-scale zero-carbon smart energy center was put into operation in Yulin, Shaanxi – the demonstration project of the Yulin Science and Innovation City Zero-Carbon Distributed Smart Energy Center. For the first time in the world, this project has achieved practical and large-scale demonstration of a zero-carbon multi-energy supply and demand system utilizing hydrogen energy, providing a new technical approach to achieving the goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality. The demonstration project was provided with system technology by the Networked Systems Engineering Team at Xi’an Jiaotong University, and was invested in and constructed by CNNC HuiNeng Co., Ltd. The reporter on site observed that the project consists of an energy station core, hydrogen production and storage systems as well as hydrogen fuel cell systems, a photovoltaic power generation system, a water-based cooling and heating storage system, and shallow geothermal wells; the indoor building area exceeds 4,000 square meters. This project takes advantage of Yulin’s abundant solar energy resources, converting solar energy into electrical power through photovoltaic panels to provide a clean source of electricity ； The excess electrical energy is used to extract hydrogen from water through electrolyzers and store it; together with the hydrogen produced by Yulin’s hydrogen supply chain, this hydrogen is converted into electrical and thermal energy through the chemical reactions in hydrogen fuel cell systems ； Thermal energy can be converted into cold energy using heat pumps, and in combination with heat (cold) storage systems, it supplies buildings with electricity for daily use, cooling in summer, and heating in winter. The project also adapts to local conditions by utilizing the shallow geothermal wells in Yulin as one of the heat supply sources, thereby enabling the seasonal storage of waste heat. “Based on the actual conditions of both supply and demand, we have developed a system optimization method that leverages big data analysis and human-machine hybrid intelligence. This has resulted in a 100% comprehensive utilization rate of renewable energy and an overall energy efficiency exceeding 90%, thereby achieving zero-carbon and intelligent energy supply. ”said project manager Xia Zongchun. The equivalent energy supply cost within the designed lifespan of the demonstration project is approximately 0.36 yuan per kWh, while the equivalent energy supply costs for conventional grid electricity and municipal heating exceed 0.57 yuan per kWh. Compared to the latter, the annual operating cost of the demonstration project is reduced by over 60%, while the total cost is cut by more than 36%. It also results in a reduction of over 8,640 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, which is equivalent to planting 480,000 trees. “Based on comprehensive calculations, the additional initial investment cost of the demonstration project can be recovered within just 3–4 years, truly achieving a ‘dual demonstration’ of environmental protection and economic benefits. ”Xu Zhanbo, the project leader and professor at Xi’an Jiaotong University, said. To achieve the goals of \"making hydrogen energy zero-carbon, enabling benefits through multi-energy optimization, and promoting its widespread use in the market,\" Guan Xiaohong, the project leader – an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and professor at Xi’an Jiaotong University – led his team to overcome six key technical challenges, including modeling of multi-energy supply and demand systems involving hydrogen energy, intelligent design, and optimization decisions for coordinated operation. Research and development were carried out at the China Western Science and Technology Innovation Harbor, which serves as the main platform for innovation driven by the Qinchuangyuan initiative; the first applications and commercialization of these technologies took place in Yulin. A total of 33 patents related to this project have been applied for, with 16 of them already granted. Currently, the demonstration project has begun to provide zero-carbon energy supply for the athletes’ village of the 17th Shaanxi Provincial Games, covering an area of 120,000 square meters. Guan Xiaohong stated that, according to public information and literature, this is the world’s first practically applied and large-scale zero-carbon smart energy center. It will help China establish a green, safe, and efficient energy system. “In addition to the demonstration projects, our key technologies for zero-carbon energy stations have been implemented in Yulin, Shaanxi, Xixian New Area, as well as in Inner Mongolia, Hubei and other regions, for the construction of new projects such as zero-carbon smart factories and zero-carbon living communities. Moving forward, we will intensify our promotion efforts and expand application scenarios, thereby providing practical technical pathways and industrial models for **achieving the ‘dual carbon’ goals**. ”Guan Xiaohong said