Solar power generation no longer depends on the weather. Xinjiang's first solar thermal power station enters stable operation stage

Solar power generation is no longer dependent on the weather! Since achieving 24-hour uninterrupted power generation on June 18 this year, as of December 28, Xinjiang's first solar thermal power generation project, the China Power Hami Tower Molten Salt Solar Thermal Power Station, has generated a total of 10 million kWh of electricity, marking the project's entry into a stable power generation period, and also marking that my country has the ability to "store" solar energy and transmit the generated electricity to the national power grid.

 

"After optimized operation, the project can be connected to the grid for a long time, and participate in the grid dispatching operation in strict accordance with the requirements of the solar thermal power station operation assessment indicators. The main steam temperature, main steam pressure, and daily load rate continue to rise, and the key technical indicators gradually meet the design requirements. The project construction has been successfully completed." On December 28, Zhou Zhiyong, deputy general manager of China Power Hami Solar Thermal Power Generation Co., Ltd., said.

 

Since the 1990s, my country has begun to test solar thermal projects. The power station is one of the first 20 solar thermal demonstration projects approved by the state in 2016, and it is also the only one built in Xinjiang. After the project is officially put into production, the equipment can be used for 3,980 hours per year and can generate 198 million kWh of electricity throughout the year.

 

"It can be said that the commercialization of solar thermal projects in my country is still in its infancy. The construction results of the first batch of demonstration projects are not ideal, and nearly half of the projects have not been completed as scheduled. After hard work, this project has achieved its construction goals as scheduled, and all indicators are at the forefront of the projects of the same period." Zhou Zhiyong said.

 

Solar power generation is divided into photovoltaic power generation and solar thermal power generation. Photovoltaic power generation directly converts solar energy into electrical energy. Its biggest shortcoming is that it cannot store energy and cannot generate electricity when there is no sunlight. "Solar thermal power generation can store solar energy in a certain medium to achieve power generation at night and on cloudy days. This project is to store solar energy in molten salt, which can generate electricity at any time as needed." Zhang Yangfei, director of the company's engineering department, said.

 

On the Gobi Desert in Naomaohu Town, Yiwu County, more than 10,000 pentagonal heliostats arranged in a matrix are shining silver, which is spectacular. These mirrors automatically adjust their angles as the sun moves, focusing sunlight from different directions on the 180-meter-high molten salt tower top heat absorber. The heat absorber in the air is shining white, like a small sun.

 

Zhang Yangfei said that it was the golden light reflected by the heliostat that heated the temperature of the molten salt circulating in the absorber from 300℃ to 560℃. The heat exchange system then fully exchanged the high-temperature molten salt with water to produce high-temperature and high-pressure steam, which drove the steam turbine generator set to generate electricity.

 

"The implementation of the project has accumulated a lot of experience for my country's solar thermal power generation projects and proved that solar thermal power generation technology is feasible in my country. This will reduce my country's excessive dependence on thermal power and make positive explorations for my country to achieve its carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals." Zhou Zhiyong said.

 

It is reported that molten salt is a chemical substance that is liquid at high temperatures and is colorless and odorless. "Molten salt is only one of the solar energy storage media. Other energy storage media include water, chemical batteries, thermal oil, etc. At present, these energy storage media have been demonstrated in my country. Specific projects need to select the best energy storage method and energy storage medium through comparison." Zhang Yangfei said.