The solar thermal plant is expected to generate up to 2.7 million kilowatt hour of electricity per year, equivalent to eliminating 2,300 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from conventional power plants. The tower of the plant is designed to be 100-meter tall and is surrounded by 100 heliostats composed of curved mirrors which track the sun and redirect its rays to a receiver at the top of the tower.
Wang Zhifeng, chief of the solar thermal plant and also CAS Director for solar thermal power said that the experimental power plant would be designed and operated by 10 Chinese institutions and companies, including the CAS, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Huadian Corp. and Himin Solar Group.
The receiver would convert concentrated solar thermal power from the heliostats into thermal power. Steam from the receiver outlet would be sent directly into the turbine for power generation.
