en.Wedoany.com Reported - At the 11th China Energy Development and Innovation Conference, Lu Zhiheng, Technical Director of Longteng CSP, stated that with continuous policy improvements, the application scenarios for concentrated solar power (CSP) and solar thermal heating will further expand, and the cost of CSP is also expected to continue to decline.

Technological Paradigm Shift: Long-Duration Energy Storage Advantages Become Prominent

Lu Zhiheng, Technical Director of Changzhou Longteng Solar Thermal Technology Co., Ltd., stated at the conference that CSP technology is undergoing a paradigm shift from solely power generation to a dual-drive model of "power generation + heating." Unlike traditional coal-fired units that rely on fossil fuels, CSP uses a solar field to generate steam to drive turbines. Its core competitiveness lies in its inherent large-capacity molten salt long-duration energy storage characteristic of 10 to 14 hours, which can provide rotational inertia and regulation support for the power grid. In integrated wind-PV projects, CSP systems can replace thermal power of equivalent capacity, achieving a substantial supplement of new energy to baseload power sources.

Expanding Application Scenarios: Penetrating Diverse Industrial Sectors

The application boundaries of CSP technology have extended from the power system to energy-intensive industries. In the heating sector, this technology can provide medium- and high-temperature heat sources that match industry demands. Taking a brewery project in Xinxiang, Henan as an example, the parabolic trough solar field built by Longteng CSP achieves an outlet temperature of 210°C, generating saturated steam at 0.8 MPa and 175°C through a steam generation system for direct use in the production process. Public information indicates that such technology holds broad potential for deep decarbonization in industries such as mining, chemicals, textiles, and seawater desalination.

Continuing Cost Reduction: LCOE Moves Towards the 0.4 Yuan Era

The localization of core technologies is driving costs down significantly. Longteng CSP has now mastered third-generation molten salt trough technologies, including high-temperature molten salt receiver tubes and large-aperture parabolic trough collectors. Calculation data shows that for a 350 MW molten salt trough project with 14 hours of thermal storage in Qinghai, the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) using the 8.6-meter large trough technology has dropped to 0.464-0.523 yuan/kWh; if the next-generation ultra-large trough technology of over 12 meters is adopted, the cost is expected to further decrease to 0.426 yuan/kWh.

Industrial Chain Localization: Domestic Equipment Goes Global

Currently, Chinese CSP companies have achieved full independent research and development. By replacing traditional processes with magnetron sputtering low-silver coating technology, Longteng CSP has significantly reduced the manufacturing cost of reflector mirrors. Related products have successfully supplied the world's largest CSP-PV solar park. With the release of policy dividends such as the "Several Opinions on Promoting the Large-Scale Development of Concentrated Solar Power," the CSP industry will continue to enhance its strategic position in the green, low-carbon, and circular development of regional economies through the scale effects of multiple units.

This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com