According to the latest updates from the project site, from August 13 to August 15, the Jinta Zhongguang Solar 'CSP + PV' Pilot Project 100MW CSP Project (‘Project’) operated continuously for three days, with an average daily generation exceeding 1000 MWh. Notably, on August 14, the daily power generation reached 1317 MWh, setting a new operational record for similar power stations during the same period after commissioning.

The daily operation curve shows that the CSP unit reduced its load during the day to prioritize PV power generation and operated at full capacity at night, essentially achieving the design goal of complementary operation between CSP and PV units in large-scale base projects.

Operation curve of the solar thermal unit on August 14

The Project was successfully connected to the grid on May 28, 2025, and achieved full-process operation on July 10, 2025. Within just 11 days, the station reached full-load operation and recorded a daily generation of 1024 MWh on July 21. From July 10 to August 15 (including 9 rainy days and 17 cloudy days), the station operated for 26 days, accumulating 391.2 hours of operation and generating a total of 15548 MWh.

Through the joint efforts of Cosin Solar and CGDG’s Gansu branch, the Project has achieved stable operation since its full-process commissioning, with no downtime due to failures. Particularly noteworthy is the successful application of the low-position tank short-axis pump system, with all technical indicators surpassing design parameters. The cold salt pump's vibration was less than 0.3 mm/s at rated flow, and the minimum liquid level of the cold salt tank reached below the design value of 0.5 m, far lower than traditional high-position tank technology, significantly improving molten salt utilization.

The Project has also activated electric heater equipment during the day to absorb surplus PV power, effectively enhancing the overall economic benefits of the project. This operational model has been successfully implemented in PV+CSP complementary projects, validating the feasibility of using molten salt electric heating to absorb surplus PV power and laying a solid foundation for future large-scale applications.

Project Overview:

Jinta ZhongGuang Solar 'CSP + PV' Pilot Project is part of China’s second batch of large-scale renewable energy base projects focused on deserts, Gobi areas, and arid regions. Located in the Baishuiquan Photovoltaic Industrial Park of Jinta County, Jiuquan City, it has a total installed capacity of 700MW, configured as 600MW PV and 100MW CT CSP, equipped with 8-hour molten salt thermal energy storage system and a heliostat field covering 767,800 square meters. Once fully operational, the project is expected to deliver approximately 1450GWh of clean electricity annually to the grid, saving about 480,000 tons of standard coal and reducing 1,360,000 tons of CO₂emissions each year. It holds significant importance for promoting local socio-economic development, energy conservation, and emissions reduction.