China continues to advance its efforts in clean energy, and every project seems to push the envelope. In the heart of northwestern China, a solar farm has been constructed, but it is not quite like a traditional solar plant. This one does not make use of panels. Instead, 12,000 giant mirrors are used to capture the sun’s rays and convert them into usable energy.
The solar farm made of mirrors in China
These large mirrors are not your typical mirrors. They are used to concentrate sun rays and are not called mirrors but rather heliostats. The idea is that these heliostats can move, following the sun as it advances through the sky over the course of the day. This motorized feature ensures the full might of the sun is always focused where it needs to be, on the surface of the heliostats. These are also placed with precise alignment to increase the efficacy of the energy created at this farm.
The heliostats reflect the concentrated heat they capture on their flat surfaces to a receiver on top of a 200-foot-long tower. At this point, the heat is focused on a fluid which usually consists of molten salt, and the temperatures this can reach are at times higher than 500 degrees Celsius. This heat results in a steam which is then used to power a turbine, which will then generate electricity. The heat can also be stored to keep the process going during the nighttime.
What is this solar-powered odyssey of heliostats in China called?
Situated in a part of China that is rich in sun, the Delingha Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) project is the latest way in which China is looking to decarbonize. It covers an area of 2.5 square kilometers, generating 50 kilowatts of clean power. The Delingha CSP plant is operated by CGN Solar Energy Development Company, and the project has the capability of providing power to a vast portion of the population in China.
The Qinghai desert is its exact location and was chosen for its high altitude, abundance of sun, and clear skies. The project was aided by the work of engineers from one of China’s leading thermal energy companies, Cosin Solar, who ensured the heliostats were equipped with cutting-edge software that enables them to track the movement of the sun so accurately.
The success of this project will be gauged, and if it proves to be successful, then other projects using the same technique are sure to be considered. A similarly innovative endeavor is currently operating in Spain.
What makes this heliostat solar project so special?
This CSP project has the capability of using heat to create energy and then storing this for as long as eight hours after the sun goes down. This has captured the attention of engineers and analysts from around the world, as is usually the case when China embarks on a new energy-related project. This storage feature improves grid compatibility and stability, which has always been somewhat of a challenge for solar farms.
The farm has already begun funneling energy into the grid, and the results have been impressive. The power delivery is said to be smoother and does not fluctuate much. The storage capabilities have also lessened the need for a backup system that would more than likely make use of fossil fuels to keep this plant operating in the dark hours of the night. Discussions around the use of CSP as a backup to other renewable energy projects have been cautiously broached, as it would make the world of sense to have a system like this in place.
The future of solar and thermal power and how China might steer this conversation
China is trailblazing new methods to advance its journey through and towards clean energy, and they are not going about this in rudimentary or expected ways. This particular system has a few aspects that may very well make it the next considerable addition to the global dialogue around solar power.
There is an artful complexity to 12,000 mirrors or heliostats gracefully following the blaze of the sun to trap immense heat, which is then turned into abundant and clean power. The data around the Delingha CSP project will be watched with keen eyes and more than likely replicated by sensible minds.
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