CHN Energy’s first tower-type concentrated solar power (CSP) project was successfully connected to grid in late December 2025, marking substantive progress by CHN Energy in the field of solar thermal power generation.
Qinghai Gonghe CSP project
The project is Qinghai Gonghe CSP project under Phase II of the Qinghai–Henan UHV DC transmission program, which is located in Gonghe County, northwest China’s Qinghai province, at elevations ranging from approximately 2,989 to 3,030 meters. It is a key demonstration project within CHN Energy’s clean energy base layout in Qinghai. After commissioning, the project is expected to generate about 223 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, providing stable support for the development of a regional clean and low-carbon energy system.
The project adopts a complementary CSP + PV model and uses molten-salt tower CSP technology. It is equipped with more than 23,000 heliostats, with a total reflective area exceeding 700,000 square meters, and features 12 hours of thermal energy storage. This enables continuous and stable power output under changing solar conditions, enhancing the stability and reliability of electricity supply through the Qinghai–Henan UHV DC transmission corridor.
Heliostats of the Qinghai Gonghe CSP project
During construction and operation, the project integrates technologies such as the Internet of Things, big data and artificial intelligence to achieve full-process digital management of engineering works and equipment operation. After being put into operation, the unit is expected to reach an average availability rate of over 76.68 percent, a solar-to-electric conversion efficiency of no less than 13.39 percent, and a steam turbine thermal efficiency exceeding 41.77 percent, with key performance indicators reaching a leading level nationwide.
The project also advances ecological restoration and environmental protection in parallel. Measures such as centralized construction, water spraying for dust suppression and vegetation restoration are implemented to minimize ecological disturbance. Supporting facilities including ecological public welfare forests and photovoltaic grazing areas have been developed, exploring a pastoral–solar integrated model featuring power generation above the panels, grazing between them and grass cultivation beneath.
The Qinghai Gonghe CSP project
With both peak-shaving capabilities and long-duration energy storage, CSP serves as an important technological pathway for enhancing renewable energy consumption and promoting the safe and reliable replacement of traditional energy sources. As relevant policies continue to improve, CSP is expected to become a new growth driver in China’s new energy industry chain, providing strong support for accelerating the development of a new-type power system.
