A bird's-eye view of solar power panels on top of the Shuangqiao Parking Lot. [Photo/WeChat account: hangzhou-metro]

The city of Hangzhou – capital of East China's Zhejiang province – has launched the country's first zero-carbon metro line, with its Metro Line 2 achieving 100 percent carbon neutrality through green power and solar power technology.

The initiative is projected to cut carbon emissions by about 70,000 metric tons annually.

The metro's energy comes from solar power systems installed at the Shushan Depot and the Shuangqiao Parking Lot. Over 8,400 solar panels generate 4.87 megawatts of power, supplying clean energy to train operations and nearby stations. Any surplus electricity is fed into the metro grid for broader use.

Additional energy-saving upgrades include smart lighting systems and intelligent environmental controls – optimizing energy efficiency across all its stations.

A new energy management platform centralizes data from various sources, enabling multi-dimensional analysis of energy consumption, passenger flows and weather.

Recognized as one of Hangzhou's top 10 low-carbon innovations for 2024, the project is said to exemplify the city's commitment to sustainability and is in line with national carbon neutrality goals.

Future plans include expanding the use of green energy and refining the energy mix, in order to further enhance the urban rail transit system's eco-friendly development.

Hangzhou Metro Line 2 is China's first zero-carbon metro line. [Photo/WeChat account: hangzhou-metro]