China makes breakthrough in concentrated solar power tech

China has made a technological breakthrough in the concentrated solar power sector, successfully verifying the world's largest molten salt trough collector system, project developer China General Nuclear Power Corp (CGN) announced on Tuesday.

The technological validation of the 8.6-meter aperture molten salt trough collector equipment and process — the widest of its kind globally — was completed at the testing base of CGN in Delingha, northwest China's Qinghai province.

According CGN, the breakthrough demonstrates China's comprehensive mastery of core molten salt trough collection technology, laying a solid foundation for the large-scale development of domestic concentrated solar power projects.

Industry experts say that concentrated solar power technology, which integrates both peak-shaving power capabilities and long-duration energy storage, is becoming a vital pillar for China's emerging new power system.

According to a guideline released by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration in late 2025, China aims to bring its total concentrated solar power installed capacity to approximately 15 million kilowatts by 2030.

"The pilot platform, consisting of a trough collection system, a heat storage system, and a steam generation system, is currently the world's largest standard molten salt trough collector testing system in terms of aperture size," said Yin Hang, chief expert of concentrated solar power technology at CGN.

Since entering the concentrated solar power sector in 2011, CGN has built China's first large-scale commercial concentrated solar power demonstration plant and the nation's largest single-unit tower concentrated solar power project.

The company has the stated aim of advancing technical optimization and scientific research to accelerate the engineering application of large-aperture molten salt trough equipment, thereby contributing to the high-quality development of China's concentrated solar power industry and the construction of a robust, modern energy system.