China’s largest linear Fresnel concentrated solar power (CSP) integrated energy demonstration project—a 1GW CSP-PV hybrid complex built by China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG) in Hami, Xinjiang—has completed commissioning and entered commercial trial operation. The project proves that CSP technology can deliver solid economic returns at the hundred-megawatt utility scale, and will help drive down the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) for concentrated solar power.
Located in the Gobi Desert, the complex functions as a 1GW comprehensive energy hub integrating CSP and PV. Its 100MW CSP unit features 260,000 high-precision tracking reflectors with a total heat collection area of 800,000 square meters. Paired with a large-scale high-temperature molten salt storage system, the unit enables consistent heat storage and reliable power output.
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The linear Fresnel technology relies on primary mirror arrays to focus solar irradiance onto secondary compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs). Tubular heat absorbers fitted along the CPC focal lines capture the concentrated solar energy. Molten salt heated to 550°C is then fed to a steam generation system, which yields high-temperature, high-pressure steam to drive turbine generators. This creates an end-to-end zero-carbon energy conversion loop that turns sunlight into heat, then electricity.
Niu Jianle, project director of the CTG Hami 1GW CSP-PV Project, said: “Advanced energy storage acts as a vital energy buffer and is indispensable for building modern power systems. Lithium batteries are designed for short-duration peak shaving, while PV systems only produce power during daylight hours. CSP thermal storage stands apart with its large capacity, long discharge cycles and zero operational emissions.
“Capable of delivering stable power for up to eight hours straight, it serves as a core technology to guarantee non-stop grid reliability. Linear Fresnel technology strikes an optimal balance between cost competitiveness and real-world performance. The successful grid connection of this facility represents a landmark leap, bringing the technology out of laboratory research and into large-scale commercial rollout.”
The project was first connected to the grid on 18 September 2025 and has run smoothly on continuous load ever since, supplying 6.54 million kWh of clean power to the regional grid. Once fully commercialised, the plant is projected to produce more than 145 million kWh of green electricity per year. This will cut around 43,800 tons of standard coal consumption and slash annual CO₂ emissions by roughly 120,000 tons, bringing substantial energy-saving, emission-reduction and ecological gains.
The project replaces Morocco’s 950MW Noor Energy 1 array as the world’s largest hybrid CSP-PV power plant. But it is unlikely to hold the status of the world’s largest CSP/PV hybrid for long; China Energy Engineering Corp recently broke ground on a 1.5GW hybrid project, also in Hami, consisting of 1.3GW of PV and 150MW of CSP.
