These 5 Solar Projects In China Demonstrate It’s Leadership Like Little Else

It is no secret that China has virtually built and led the global solar push in the past decade. Firms from the country today supply or control over 70% of global supplies in solar power. While these manufacturers continue to expand and are on track to churn out record profits this year, we take a look at projects in China across key solar options, from normal PV pants, to floating, to CSP and even rooftop where the country has built at scale to demonstrate solar power.

All this comes even as China is actively pushing its decarbonisation agenda to become a carbon-neutral economy by 2060. According to the data company Wood Mackenzie, the global solar powerhouse is set to add another 619 GW of solar energy by 2030. Reaching that goal will require innovation in the application of green technologies and the business models that support them.

China’s photovoltaic industry began by making panels for satellites. It transitioned to the manufacture of domestic panels in the late 1990s. After substantial government incentives were introduced in 2011, its solar power market grew dramatically. It became the world’s leading installer of photovoltaics in 2013 and the world’s largest producer of photovoltaic energy in 2015. It became the first country to have over 100 GW of total installed photovoltaic capacity in 2017. At the end of 2021, China’s total installed photovoltaic capacity was about 290 GW.

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The following is a list of landmark solar projects of China. Of course, even where the China based project is not the world leader, you can be sure that China built parts and firms have played a huge role in the global leaders as well.

1. Hainan Solar Park – Hainan Solar Park is also known as Golmud Solar Park. It is the largest solar park in China and trails only Bhadla Solar Park on the global level. It is located at Golmud in Qinghai Province of China. The solar park was built by Huanghe Hydropower Development in five phases. It reportedly cost 2.2 billion USD. It has an installed capacity of 2.2 GW. It is part of a planned 16 GW renewable power complex. The solar park includes an energy storage system of 203 MW supplied by Sungrow, a 1600 km long power line of 800 kV supplied by the State Grid Corporation and two converter stations of 8 GW.

2. Dezhou Dingzhuang Floating Solar Park – Dezhou Dingzhuang Floating Solar Park is the largest floating solar park in the world. It was completed by Huaneng Power International. Huaneng Power International deployed the floating solar park on a reservoir near its Dezhou Thermal Power Station at Dezhou in Shandong Province of China.Huaneng Power International built the floating solar park in two phases with capacities of 200 MW and 120 MW respectively. It is expected to generate around 550 million kWh of electricity per year. The floating solar park is part of a larger renewable energy project that also incorporates a 100 MW wind farm.

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3. Tsuneishi Shipyard Solar Station – Tsuneishi Shipyard Solar Station is the largest building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) power station in the world. It was invested in and built by Asia Clean Capital Limited. The solar system was installed on the rooftop of the Tsuneishi Shipyard at Zhoushan in Zhejiang Province of China. It has a total capacity of 19 MW. The electricity generated by the solar system is sold to the Tsuneishi Group and consumed by the shipyard for its offices and workshops.

The original roofs of the shipyard were due for replacement and building integrated photovoltaic panels were selected as the ideal solution. The old roof panels were removed and replaced by glass coated photovoltaic modules fastened by aluminum alloy brackets and stainless steel fasteners. This ensured a light and durable rooftop structure. Integrating the solar panels into the roof structure helped reduce the overall construction cost. Over 72000 photovoltaic modules were installed.

The lifetime total power output of Tsuneishi Shipyard Solar Station is estimated to be more than 418 million kWh.

4. Golmud Concentrated Solar Power Park – Golmud Concentrated Solar Power Park is the largest concentrated solar power (CSP) park in China. It is located at Golmud in Qinghai Province of China. The solar park has an approximate capacity of 200 MW. The global leader is of course the 700 MW Noor CSP Project in Dubai.

A gigantic project has been developed by China Green Development Group and Qinghai New Energy Company. Under this project, a total capacity of 300 MW concentrated solar power will be installed. It is part of a planned 16 GW renewable power complex.

5. Unnamed Rooftop Photovoltaic Plant – This rooftop photovoltaic plant was built in an industrial park owned by Shandong Huaqin Group and Zhejiang Fortune Energy Corporation Limited at Jining in Shandong Province of China. It is the largest rooftop photovoltaic plant in the world. It was completed in 2020 by Jining Huaxi New Energy Technology Corporation Limited which is jointly owned by the two formerly mentioned industrial groups.

The rooftop photovoltaic plant stretches across 43 rooftops. It has a total capacity of 120 MW and generates as much as 110 million kWh of electricity per year. It powers the industrial park itself but also feeds excess electricity into the grid.

Written By Vedang Singh