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.
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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.
