The first 25-megawatt generating unit of a 50-MW solar-thermal power station in Ngari prefecture, Xizang autonomous region, was connected to the grid on Friday, making it the world's highest-altitude grid-connected solar-thermal power station, China Central Television reported.
Located in Gar county at an average altitude of 4,300 meters, the facility is part of China General Nuclear Power Group's zero-carbon solar-storage-thermal demonstration project.
The integrated project has a total installed capacity of 150 MW, comprising a 100-MW photovoltaic (PV) facility and a 50-MW solar-thermal plant, the report said.
During the day, electricity generated by the project's PV facility is used to heat molten salt, storing energy in the form of heat for later use. The stored heat is then used to produce steam that drives turbines, enabling the plant to generate electricity at night or when sunlight is insufficient.
The solar-thermal plant is equipped with two 25-MW steam turbine-generator units. The first was connected to the grid on Friday, while the second is scheduled to follow later this year, according to Xinhua News Agency.
During construction, the project has created jobs for more than 500 local farmers and herders.
Once fully operational, the integrated project is expected to generate about 270 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 168,200 metric tons a year. It is projected to support energy security and low-carbon development in Ngari, CCTV reported.
