China’s solar thermal power generation companies have mastered the core technology of building large-scale molten salt tower thermal power plants (熔盐塔式光热电站), and are ready to go global.
In December 2018, China’s first 100-megawatt (百兆瓦) molten salt tower thermal power plant entered operation in Dunhuang, Gansu Province. The achievement marks China’s emergence as one of the few countries in the world to master the technology. Being currently one of the world’s largest of its kind, this power plant has a huge light-concentrating device, a great heat-absorbing tower, and a giant heat storage tank.
The plant generates power for 24 hours continuously. Unlike wind power or photovoltaic (光伏的) power generation plants, it can store solar energy, so that it can produce electricity even during cloudy days or nights. Also, molten salt tower thermal power plants are non-polluting.
A resource-saving technology company in Beijing built the plant. It chose Dunhuang because the local light conditions are good, and the vast Gobi desert is suitable for building new energy power plants. Besides, Dunhuang is an important junction on the Silk Road. Having this technology here can serve as a great example of the new achievements in sustainable energy development.
According to the company, the total reflection area of the power plant’s mirror field is 1.4 million square meters. When the sun shines down, the heliostat (日光反射装置) will reflect and concentrate the light on the top of the heat-absorbing tower, and heat the molten salt.
The annual power generation of the plant will reach 390 million kilowatt-hours, which can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 350,000 metric tons per year. That is equivalent to releasing environmental benefits from 667 hectares of forest while creating economic benefits of 300 million to 400 million yuan at the same time.
Industry experts say the establishment of the plant in Dunhuang is an important milestone in the development of China’s solar thermal power industry. It not only optimizes Dunhuang’s new energy structure, but also offers a positive demonstration of the healthy and sustainable development of the new energy industry in Gansu, and in the whole country.
With the deepening of China’s reform and opening up and the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, China’s solar thermal technology will go global and blossom in places where developing solar power is suitable. There is no doubt that China will make a significant contribution to the development and spread of sustainable energy technologies in the world.