Now Reading: China completes highest-altitude solar thermal plant at 15,258 feet
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China completes highest-altitude solar thermal plant at 15,258 feet
China completes highest-altitude solar thermal plant at 15,258 feet
China has completed the 100 MW Tushuo solar thermal plant in Amdo County on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, at an altitude of 15,258 feet, The Times of India reports. The facility uses 15,927…
The Story in Brief
China has completed the 100 MW Tushuo solar thermal plant in Amdo County on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, at an altitude of 15,258 feet, The Times of India reports. The facility uses 15,927 heliostats across about 800,000 square metres to focus sunlight on a receiver atop a 210-metre tower. Molten salts heated to about 1,040°F will store energy for up to eight hours, allowing generation after sunset.
The plant is expected to connect to the grid by October 2026. Its developers estimate annual generation of about 255 million kWh, enough to supply around 50,000 homes. They also project savings of 60,000 tonnes of coal and avoidance of about 165,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year. The project was built to withstand strong winds, sub-zero temperatures and intense ultraviolet radiation.
The Indian Opinion
Claims that solar power works only when the sun shines overlook the value of thermal storage, while calling one plant a complete answer to renewable energy’s reliability problem would also be lazy. The real test is not the record altitude or the mirror count, but whether the facility reaches its projected output after grid connection and maintains performance through harsh winters. October 2026 and the first full year of generation will provide that evidence.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
