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A highway that generates its own power
Jinan East service area on Shandong's highway is described as the country's first sustainably carbon-neutral zero-carbon stop. About 3.2 MW of photovoltaic panels sit on carports and roofs, generating up to 3,200 kWh in an hour and roughly 10,000 kWh across a full day, more than the site's own demand of about 6,600 kWh. A 3,200 kWh storage unit backs up night-time operation.
Zero-carbon logic in practice
Pairing solar with storage lets the site run on fully clean power, turning a pure consumer of energy into a producer. The operator built four systems covering renewable use, smart zero-carbon control, waste treatment and forest carbon sinks, cutting more than 3,400 tons of carbon a year. Nearby Zouping West opened a high-power charging demo for heavy trucks.
What Yantai can adopt
For Yantai, a coastal tourist and logistics node, the takeaway is to add solar carports at public stations and scenic car parks, then mirror the zero-carbon idea at community carports. Dongshang New Energy and Dongdian Huichong start with slow community charging across the districts, later layering storage and smart dispatch as local capacity allows.