A 1 GW CSP-PV integrated project in Bozhou, Xinjiang, designed by a subsidiary of Power Construction Corporation of China (POWERCHINA), has completed natural gas pre-heating ignition of its hot molten salt tank, a key milestone for the project’s thermal storage system.
The project includes 900 MW of PV and 100 MW of concentrated solar power (CSP) capacity, with the PV section already connected to the grid in 2024. The CSP component features an 8-hour thermal storage system with a 32.5 m diameter molten salt tank capable of holding nearly 12,000 tons of molten salt, which will be gradually heated for salt injection and system commissioning.
Once fully operational, the project is expected to generate about 2.04 TWh of electricity annually and provide peak-shaving support to improve local renewable energy absorption.
CSP-PV hybrid projects are in the news of late, with construction starting on the CEEC-developed 1.5 GW Hami CSP-PV-thermal storage base project recently (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
PV silver paste manufacturer DKEM announced that its subsidiary, Solamet, has signed a global patent licensing agreement with an undisclosed counterparty covering thick-film paste technologies containing lead oxide and tellurium oxide.
Under the agreement, the counterparty will pay licensing fees in installments, and Solamet will waive past infringement claims upon receipt of the initial payment, with related litigation already withdrawn. DKEM did not disclose the counterparty, although companies previously involved in patent disputes with DKEM/Solamet include Riyu Solar, iSliver, Gonda, and – most recently – Pharos (see China Solar PV News Snippets).
Vertically integrated PV manufacturer Tongwei announced that monocrystalline wafers produced by its subsidiary Tonghe New Energy (Jintang) Co., Ltd. have passed verification by the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME) and obtained French carbon footprint certification.
The company said the certification follows earlier approval of its solar cell products and expands the carbon footprint certification coverage of its core PV products.
Energy storage battery manufacturer EVE Energy has announced plans to build 2 energy storage battery production bases in Qidong, Jiangsu, and Shanghang, Fujian, with a combined capacity of 110 GWh.
Breaking down the planned investment of RMB 11 billion, RMB 5 billion will go to the Qidong production base, which has a planned capacity of 50 GWh. The 60 GWh Shanghang facility, a joint venture with Fujian Longking, will account for the remaining RMB 6 billion. The joint venture will have a registered capital of RMB 900 million, with EVE Energy holding 80% and Longking holding 20%.