Erik Nilsson

esheng’s villagers are finding new prosperity by harvesting light in solar farms and growing crops in greenhouses.

A harsh climate has long made it difficult for residents to plant or herd on its grasslands.

But today, technology and innovation are transforming lives on the outskirts of Zhang jiakou, Hebei province, where fluctuating temperatures and frequent droughts previously produced poverty.

The lack of precipitation means an abundance of sunlight. Solar farms turn this bane into a boon.

Meanwhile, the greenhouses protect the potatoes from daily temperatures that range between 35 C and 7 C in summer, but drop to -35 C in winter.

Irrigation systems suckled by wells compensate for droughts.

“The region suffers from droughts nine out of 10 years,” villager Hu Wenbin said. “Drought brought hardship. Technology fixed it.”

Previously, Hu’s responsibilities mainly focused on cleaning and guarding the office of the village committee. Now, he mostly focuses on maintaining the two solar farms constructed last year.

“We produce solar power as long as the sun shines,” he said. “It makes money for us.”

The panels generate roughly 800,000 yuan ($117,000) a year. Although the national average price is 0.5 yuan per kilowatt-hour, the villagers earn 1.08 yuan for each kWh, thanks to a government stipend that is intended to ensure greater participation and higher revenues for isolated regions.

“The money belongs to all the villagers,” said Ye Runbing, the village Party chief. “It will also provide more to households still mired in poverty.”

Infrastructure

The revenue pays for infrastructure and medical insurance for all, and also for additional welfare for the 14 of the settlement’s 413 households still living below the poverty line, which hovers at about 3,000 yuan a year, although the current average is 6,000 yuan, according to Ye

he 4 million yuan invested in the solar farms was provided by the province’s Industry and Information Technology Department, along with poverty alleviation funds and businesses.

“It’s very dry here so we can turn sunshine into gold (money),” Hu said.

“I’m so dedicated to the solar panels now. We’d lose more than 700 yuan a day if they didn’t function. I wipe the snow off in winter, otherwise, they don’t work. We need them to get as much sun as possible.”

Hu earns 3,600 yuan a year from this job.

“(It) keeps me active,” he said. “My health is good.”

His wife’s is not. She needs treatments for joint problems.

But, in addition to his income, the couple can receive as much as 3,000 yuan in total from subsidies provided for the solar panels.

“I’m content,” Hu said. “I’m happy. This money is stable. We have security.”

The native of the northern port city of Tianjin was not previously satisfied with life in Desheng, especially when he moved to the area at age 10.

“I cried when I first came here,” he recalled. “It was so poor. Winter was so cold. I kept saying ‘I want to go home’. Now, I don’t want to