Weekly Solar Thermal News (9.29~10.5)

Date: October 5, 2025

Focus on solar thermal power plants; updates on solar thermal/salt storage projects; Chinese scientists deliver the first keynote at SolarPACES; solar thermal representatives visit Exera. Please check recent news related to solar thermal and salt storage industries.

Special Focus on the Visit to Spain’s Exera Company

On September 21, the Solar Thermal Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance and the Solar Power Generation Professional Committee of the China Renewable Energy Society visited Exera Energía, a leading solar thermal power station operation and maintenance service provider in Sevilla, Spain. This visit aimed to gain insights into the operational management experience of the Gemasolar plant, the world’s first commercial molten salt tower solar power plant, which has been in operation for 15 years. The goal is to promote deep cooperation between China and Spain in the field of solar thermal power generation, especially in efficient operations throughout the lifecycle of solar thermal power stations and enhancing their performance.

International Solar Thermal Power Conference: 38 Countries Participate

From September 23 to 26, approximately 520 representatives from 38 countries attended the International Energy Agency SolarPACES 2025 Conference in Almeria, Spain. Wang Zhifeng, a researcher from the Institute of Electrical Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Vice Chairman of SolarPACES, was invited to speak as the first keynote speaker, providing a comprehensive overview of the development of solar thermal power technology, policies, and market status in China. Attendees expressed great interest in China’s advancements in supercritical carbon dioxide solar thermal power technology, the preparation of ceramics and cement using concentrated solar power, solar thermochemistry, and the deployment of commercial solar thermal projects. Some representatives praised the stunning photographs of solar thermal power plants presented at the end of the report, stating, “I’ve never seen such beautiful solar thermal power station photos! They are highly artistic!” Dr. Eduardo Zarza, former director of the CIEMAT-PSA in Spain, highlighted that the conference’s key point was China’s leadership in the global commercialization of solar thermal power technology. He believes that with China’s guidance, solar thermal power generation costs will become globally competitive.

Reunion with an Old Friend

Under the autumn sun in Sevilla, I reunited with an old friend of twenty years, Dr. Manuel Romero, the founding director of the Almeria Solar Platform (PSA) in Spain. He was the first local person I met in Spain and the one who introduced me to the world of solar thermal power. Dr. Romero accompanied me and my colleagues on a tour of PSA, explaining CSP technology in detail and igniting my passion for solar thermal power. We have kept in touch and exchanged results and cultural insights over the years. During our recent stroll by the river, Dr. Romero shared his future plans, and I informed him about the development of commercial CSP power plants in China and how we are learning from PSA technology. As we parted, he remarked that “friendship is as enduring as solar energy,” symbolizing our shared desire for a cleaner future.

Networking under the Mediterranean Moonlight

From September 23 to 26, during the SolarPACES 2025 conference, 16 CSP professionals from Germany, China, the UK, Australia, Chile, and other countries gathered by the Mediterranean coast under the moonlight to share insights and discuss their respective solar thermal technology achievements. The gathering showcased various creative expressions related to solar thermal technology through interactive means. They agreed to continue meeting in different regions to discuss solar thermal advancements. This Mediterranean gathering was not just a networking event; it reflected their collective aspirations to promote the development of solar thermal technology and illuminate the future.

Chinese Enterprises Shine at the International Solar Thermal Power Conference

On September 26, at the SolarPACES 2025 conference, Zhejiang Kesheng Technology Co., Ltd.’s Qinghai Zhongkong Delingha 50MW Tower Molten Salt Energy Storage Solar Power Project, developed entirely in-house, received the inaugural “SolarPACES 2025 Technology Application Award” for its advanced technology, long-term stability, and outstanding operational performance. Three Chinese companies, including Jiangsu Changsheng Chemical Co., Ltd., Kesheng Technology, and Zhejiang Mengda Solar Technology Co., Ltd., showcased their work and garnered widespread attention.

Technological Advancements in Solar Thermal Power

At the 2025 China Solar Thermal Power Conference, the Technical Director from Changzhou Longteng Solar Thermal Technology Co., Ltd. presented a report titled “Technical Characteristics and Cost Analysis of Third-Generation Parabolic Trough Solar Thermal Technology.” The report systematically analyzed innovative breakthroughs, practical applications, and the industrialization prospects of third-generation molten salt trough technology, providing references for industry-scale development. Key features include the use of molten salt as a heat transfer and storage medium with an aperture width exceeding 8.5 meters and a mirror field outlet temperature reaching 550°C. The technology is compatible with high-temperature, high-pressure Rankine cycles of 200MW and above, and key equipment has achieved full domestic production. Compared to second-generation heat transfer oil trough technology, the molten salt trough eliminates the need for heat transfer oil and heat exchangers, improving turbine thermal efficiency to 43%-45% (compared to 38%-40% for heat transfer oil troughs). Its “short light path conversion + long tube collection” characteristic reduces cold salt pump power consumption, thereby enhancing stability under complex weather conditions.

Project Progress Updates

On September 29, the comprehensive construction of the large-scale new energy base in the northern region of the Kubuqi Desert in Inner Mongolia officially commenced. This is the first large-scale “desert and wasteland” wind and photovoltaic base in Inner Mongolia, with a total investment of 98.8 billion RMB and a project scale of 12GW. The base is planned to include 8 million kW of photovoltaic power, 4 million kW of wind power, and 200,000 kW of solar thermal power, along with supporting coal-fired power of 4 million kW and new energy storage of 500 MWh. The transmission corridor starts from Daheti in Ordos City and passes through Shanxi Province, ending in Cangzhou City, Hebei Province, covering a total length of 699 kilometers with a voltage of ±800 kV and a transmission capacity of 8 million kW.

Beijing Frontier Power Technology Co., Ltd. recently completed the supply for the first 10MW solar thermal sCO₂ project for Shihang High-Tech’s Dunhuang Phase I, providing strong support for project advancement.

On October 1, the full system of the 100,000 kW solar thermal energy storage power station at the Three Gorges Huaneng Maiguzhou project entered the entire system commissioning phase, successfully commencing trial operation on October 2, coinciding with the 76th anniversary of the founding of New China. A special reporting team from CCTV conducted extensive live coverage of the project, showcasing its technological innovations to the world.

On October 1, the water supply system for the 1 million kW “solar thermal + photovoltaic” integrated project at Datang Shichengzi officially went into operation, clearing the way for subsequent unit blowdowns and full system startup.

On September 30, the 100MW solar thermal project at Xinhua Power in Bole successfully received power for the first time, celebrating the nation’s anniversary with stable operational parameters.

On October 1, the first molten salt transformer at the Huaneng Heze molten salt energy storage technology renovation project successfully provided power, achieving stable grid connection.

Solar Thermal Project News

• On September 30, a working group meeting was held for the IEC 62862-2-2 standard on “Technical Requirements for Working Media for Heat Storage and Heat Transfer in Solar Thermal Power Stations,” led by Zhejiang Green Storage Technology Co., Ltd. with participation from experts from China, Portugal, France, Spain, and Germany.
• Shandong Electric Power Construction Third Engineering Co., Ltd.’s developed systems for mirror control and calibration were selected as a key achievement for the “14th Five-Year Plan” showcase.
• Recently, Wang Jian, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Baotai Group, and He Shulin, Deputy General Manager and Chief Engineer, visited the Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, to discuss and sign a strategic cooperation agreement.
• Recently, the Gansu Energy Regulatory Office organized a seminar on “solar thermal + ” integrated projects, where participants exchanged ideas on various aspects to facilitate smooth project progression in Gansu Province.

Tender and Bidding Information Summary

Tender Information

• Aksai Huidong New Energy 110MW Solar Thermal Project – Procurement of molten salt pumps on September 28.
• Ustun Solar Thermal + Photovoltaic Integrated Project in Turpan, Xinjiang – Procurement of grid connection services on September 29.
• CEEC Gonghe 1 million kW photovoltaic and solar thermal project – Tender for operational and maintenance services in the solar thermal area on September 30.

Bidding Information

• Datang Environmental Technology Research Institute’s coal-fired unit coupled with molten salt storage peak shaving project – Xi’an Jiaotong University won the technical research project procurement.
• CGN Tibet Dangxiong Uma Tang “solar thermal + photovoltaic” integrated project – Shanghai Boiler Plant Co., Ltd. won the steam generation system equipment procurement.
• Chongneng Xinjiang Tianshan North Slope New Energy Base Project – Inner Mongolia Baichuan Solar Thermal Technology Co., Ltd. won the mirror procurement.

Policies and Public Sentiment

On September 29, the National Development and Reform Commission announced a public consultation on the “Standards for Identifying Major Power Accident Hazards and Supervision and Management Regulations (Draft for Public Consultation).” The draft includes definitions related to safety risks in power enterprises and outlines applicable standards for identifying and managing major hazards.

Alliance Activities

The third Solar Thermal Power Photography Competition has been launched to continue showcasing the unique charm of solar thermal power technology. The competition aims to capture the work and daily lives of those involved in solar thermal power construction, production, and operation. The theme focuses on solar thermal collection technologies, including parabolic troughs, various mirrors, and Fresnel collectors. The submission period runs from September 30, 2025, to December 31, 2025. Participants are invited to send their entries and registration forms to the designated email by the deadline.

The Solar Thermal Alliance plans to visit the China Electric Power Construction Group Central-South Institute and the China Energy Construction Group Huazhong Electric Power Test Research Institute on October 16-17, 2025, and invites relevant member units to participate.

The Solar Thermal Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance was established in October 2009, following a joint initiative by six departments, including the Ministry of Science and Technology. It was evaluated as an A-class alliance by the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2012. As a cooperative organization comprising relevant enterprises, universities, and research institutions, the alliance actively promotes the healthy and sustainable development of technologies and industries related to high-temperature solar power generation, medium and low-temperature solar thermal utilization, and thermal energy storage.