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A 100MW thermal solar and molten salt energy storage system in Xinjiang, China, is expected to be completed and connected to the grid by year-end.
Part of a larger 1GW renewable energy project, the installation integrates both solar thermal energy storage and conventional photovoltaic (PV) technology in Turfan, Xinjiang.
The State Grid Turfan Power Supply Company, in statements on PR Newswire and the Turfan Media Center, announced the completion of the project’s 900MW conventional solar PV portion.
This initial phase of the project required an investment of RMB6 billion (US$840 million) and is now prepared for full capacity and grid connection.
The 100MW thermal solar portion is expected to be operational by the end of the year, according to Zhang Peng, production manager at China Energy Engineering Group Northwest Electric Power Construction Engineering Co.
While details on the thermal solar molten salt system are limited, similar systems use concentrated solar power (CSP) to heat and melt salt, storing thermal energy.
The stored energy can later be used to power a turbine generator, as seen in projects like Australia’s Vast Solar and Nevada’s Crescent Dunes, which has a power rating of 110MW and over 1GWh of energy storage.
The Turfan project required the construction of two 220kV substations to support the energy generated.
As China continues to explore large-scale, non-lithium energy storage technologies, recent installations have also included projects using flywheel technology, sodium-ion, semi-solid batteries, and pumped hydro storage, highlighting China’s role in advancing diverse energy storage solutions. |
