China starts work on solar plant built under extreme conditions, amid global energy crisis

China has broken ground on a 50-megawatt concentrated solar power plant in Tibet at an altitude of 4,550 metres (14,900 feet), making it the world’s highest-altitude parabolic trough solar thermal facility.

The project, located in Dangxiong County, incorporates a 400-megawatt photovoltaic system and is scheduled for full operation by 2027, Xinhua reported. Preparatory digging at the site began on Monday.

Global energy supplies have grown increasingly volatile in recent years, due to climate variability and geopolitical tensions – including ongoing conflicts in the Middle East – which has pushed countries to seek more reliable and diversified electricity sources.

Rapid renewable energy development is extending the power grid into remote high-altitude areas, forming an ultra-high-voltage network centred on 500-kilovolt main lines with coordinated sub-grids to ensure more stable and flexible power delivery, according to local authorities.

Technically, the Dangxiong plant uses parabolic trough technology with heat-transfer oil, covering 242,000 square metres (2.6 million square feet) across 68 collector loops. Eight of these loops feature China’s self-developed 8.6-metre-wide troughs, the largest to be used in commercial solar thermal projects worldwide.

The plant also integrates molten salt storage, which can convert excess daytime solar energy into heat for storage and release at night or during periods of low sunlight, providing a more continuous power supply.

South China Morning Post