Ambitious solar thermal power project gets ready

In a solar thermal power project designed to provide stable electricity for the northern Xizang autonomous region, the installation of nearly 16,000 heliostats — mirrors that concentrate solar energy — has been completed, marking a key step toward the opening of the world's highest-altitude tower-type solar thermal plant in Nagchu's Amdo county later this year.

The 100-megawatt project is being developed by the Xizang Development Investment Group as the region's first tower-type solar thermal power station, part of Xizang's renewable energy development plan under the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25). The company said all 15,927 heliostats — the plant's solar concentrators — have now been installed, and the project is progressing toward grid-connected operation in October.

Unlike conventional photovoltaic systems, the plant uses molten-salt tower thermal technology, which concentrates sunlight to heat molten salt to temperatures of up to 560 C. The stored thermal energy is later converted into electricity through a heat exchange system, allowing the plant to continue supplying electricity after sunset — a key advantage for grid stability in northern Xizang, the company said.