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wiredInUSA - January 2014
wiredInUSA - January 2014
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TheAsian Development Bank is helpingChina
to build a large-scale concentrated solar
thermal power plant, believed to be the first
of its kind.
"This pioneering project will demonstrate
how the PRC could leverage its indigenous
solar resources to diversify its energy mix in a
sustainable manner. With this comprehensive
assistance package of low-cost financing,
policy advice, and capacity development,
we expect successful demonstration will lead
to wider uptake of CSP plants in the PRC in
the medium term," said Shigeru Yamamura,
a senior energy specialist at ADB's East Asia
department.
The loan will help build a 50MW power plant
capable of generating 197 gigawatt-hours
of electricity using a renewable energy
technology that converts direct normal
irradiation into usable heat, generating
medium- to high-temperature saturated
steam that runs the steam turbine for power
generation.
Qinghai province, where the plant will be
situated, is located in a high plateau and is
currently ranked first in solar power capacity
concentration throughout thePRC. It has over
2GW of solar photovoltaic installed capacity,
which is more than 60 percent of the national
capacity. Theproject site is located inanarea
where minimum overnight temperatures can
fall to -27ºC. This is the first application of a
concentrated solar power plant in such low
winter temperatures.
The government of the PRC has since
announceda target of 1GWof concentrated
solar thermal power capacity by 2015 and
3GW by 2020.
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Picture : Alessandro Paiva
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China gets a first
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