An aerial drone photo shows a photovoltaic farm as part of the Ningxia-Hunan ±800 kV ultra-high voltage direct current transmission project in Zhongwei, Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region, June 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

　　BEIJING — The life span of a standard photovoltaic cable is usually 15 years. However, it was only 8 years on western China's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau due to severe weather conditions such as extreme temperature swings and intense ultraviolet exposure.

　　How to extend the life span of PV cables under such circumstances was a pressing question.

　　Ounaite Cable Group Co Ltd, a private cable maker in Qinghai province, found its own solutions in the form of soybean oil and rapeseed oil, with both oils considered useful in modifying the properties of cables.

　　The company opted to apply a plasticizer extracted from soybean oil and rapeseed oil in the production process of its PV cables, thus enhancing their flexibility. It also used nano-coatings to extend the life span of cable sheaths.

　　Thanks to years of such innovative efforts, PV cables produced by the company remain flexible at temperatures as low as -40 C, while they can withstand corrosion and intense ultraviolet exposure in high-altitude conditions.

　　Ounaite Cable has so far received over 130 patents in this field, including 15 patents with independent property rights. Boasting around 10 percent domestic market share in the solar power transmission and engineering sectors, the company has also successfully entered the global market.