1GW solar power plant planned in China

January 2, 2009
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

China Technology Development Group Corporation has signed an initial contract with the local government of Qinghai Haixi Mongolian-Tibetan Autonomous Region for the construction and operation of a 30MW on-grid solar power plant at a cost of US$150 million. Construction is expected to start sometime in 2009 and has a targeted capacity of 1GW, according to CTDC, without providing a timescale or further financial details of the ambitious and potentially the largest single PV based power plant in the world.

CTDC claimed that the power plant will integrate both crystalline silicon and thin-film solar modules in the initial 30MW plant, which would be the largest facility of its kind in China.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

According to CTDC, the Chinese government approved Qinghai’s Qaidam as a special Economic Experimental Zone in 2005 for renewable energy projects. The zone covers an area of 256,000 square kilometers, which includes a large desert area, where the power plant will be built.

“The ambitious plan to build such as large scale solar power plant is a significant step for Qinghai Province to develop and deploy solar energy by taking full advantage of our abundance in solar and desert resources of Qaidam Basin,” said Mr. Luo Yulin, Vice Governor of Qinhas Province and Mayor of Xining, in a statement. “It also reflects the commitment by our government to meet the challenges posed by climate change with reliable and renewable energy.”

Qinghai New Energy Group Co., Ltd (QNE) is partnering with CTDC to design, build and operate the power plant.

Read Next

October 21, 2025
Australia's solar-plus-storage sector gained momentum with 725MW of solar PV approvals advancing across New South Wales and Queensland.
October 21, 2025
Luminous Robotics has successfully completed its first international deployment of AI-powered solar installation robots at Engie’s 250MW Goorambat East Solar Farm in Victoria, Australia.
October 21, 2025
An independent panel has granted resource consents for the 179MW Glorit Solar Farm in Auckland, New Zealand.
Premium
October 20, 2025
New data suggests the traditional assumptions behind hail stow modelling may be underestimating the likelihood of damage to a PV system.
October 20, 2025
Independent power producer (IPP) Atlas Renewable Energy has secured up to US$475 million in financing for a 357MW solar-plus-storage project in Chile.
October 20, 2025
New federal policies in the US will 'cloud' the country’s renewable energy sector, according to a webinar hosted by Wood Mackenzie.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK