From the Three Gorges Dam to the Great Wall,
China is known
for its monumental projects that count among the biggest and
grandest in the
world. Recently the nation announced its latest supermassive
project: the
construction of the world’s largest solar power plant. Planned
by China
Technology Development Group Corp and privately-held Qinghai New
Energy Group,
the project will begin with a 30 MW plant in the Qaidam Basin
that will expand
to produce 1 GW of solar energy.Situated at an elevation of 2,500-3,000 meters, the Qaidam Basin
is the third largest basin in China. It is located in the Quinghai Province,
and
is know as the “Treasure Basin” for its rich supply of minerals and
resources.
The four treasures found in the basin are salt, oil, lead zinc
and borax, and
soon a fifth treasure will be added to the list - solar
energy.
Both
traditional silicon-based photovoltaic and thin-film panels
will be used in this
new power plant, and the initial 30 MW array is
expected to cost $150 million.
There is currently no word on which
manufacturers will supply the solar panels,
but a number of companies will
likely be employed to meet the needs of the
project.
This past year has
seen a number of announcements heralding the
construction of large solar
plants around the world, with the most recent
announcement coming from
California for an 800 MW plant built by Optisolar and
Sunpower. Granted the
great number of photovoltaic manufacturers in China, it’s
only natural for
the country to be pushing for more solar power projects and
offering more
incentives. Even though this is wonderful news for the solar
industry, a 1
GW plant hardly puts a dent in China’s carbon emissions. In 2006
alone,
China reportedly installed 90 GW of coal-fired power.
Construction of
the new solar plant will begin in 2009, although there is no estimated
completion date.
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