On June 29, China’s first solar-thermal power station in Northeast China—the 100-MW CGN Jixi Base Solar-Thermal Power Station—officially commenced operations in Da’an City, Jilin Province. This milestone marks a significant leap forward in the deployment of solar-thermal power generation technology across high-latitude and extremely cold regions in China. Located at 45.36 degrees north latitude within a severely cold climate zone, this power station stands as China’s highest-latitude solar-thermal facility. With an installed capacity of 100 MW and an 8-hour thermal storage capability, it ensures safe, stable, and continuous 24-hour operation.

The region, where the power station is located, endures minimum temperatures plummeting to minus 37.3 degrees Celsius and maximum wind speeds reaching Force 9 on the Beaufort scale. The area also presents complex engineering challenges, including saline-alkali soil conditions. Through systematic technological research and development, the construction team successfully formulated a standardized solution tailored for severely cold regions above 45 degrees north latitude and harsh geological environments, offering replicable insights for similar projects.

Once fully operational, the project is anticipated to generate 180 million kWh of electricity annually. This output is equivalent to conserving approximately 54,000 metric tons of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 139,000 metric tons. Solar-thermal power generation technology integrates peak-shaving power supply and long-duration energy storage functions. It provides long-cycle peak-shaving capabilities and rotational inertia to the power system, playing a pivotal role in bolstering grid stability.

According to the “Several Opinions on Promoting the Large-Scale Development of Solar-Thermal Power Generation” issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration, China aims to achieve a total installed capacity of around 15 million kilowatts for solar-thermal power generation by 2030. The goal is for the cost per kilowatt-hour to align closely with that of coal-fired power.

Previously, China has already made notable strides in applying solar-thermal power generation technology in plateau regions. For instance, construction of the world’s highest-altitude trough solar-thermal power station—the CGN Tibet Wumatang 50-MW Solar-Thermal Project—commenced in Lhasa in April 2026. Situated at an altitude of 4,550 meters, this project represents the first commercial deployment of China’s fully independently developed 8.6-meter large-aperture trough collectors.

As a cornerstone technology in the energy sector, innovations in solar-thermal power generation have garnered considerable attention. Among the Top Ten Scientific and Technological Innovation Achievements in the Energy Industry for 2025 is the “Concentrating Solar Power Collection System for 100-MW Multi-Tower Single-Turbine Solar-Thermal Power Station.” This system has been implemented in the 700-MW “Solar-Thermal Energy Storage Plus” project in Guazhou, Jiuquan, Gansu Province. It provides crucial technical references for constructing supporting and regulating new energy power stations in the “desert, Gobi, and wasteland” regions of Northwest China.