Construction has commenced on a 50-megawatt concentrated solar power project led by China General Nuclear (CGN), positioned in Wumatang township, Damxung County, Lhasa, within Southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. Once completed, the facility will stand as the world’s highest-elevation parabolic trough installation at 4,550 meters, according to a company statement. The development represents a significant milestone for high-altitude CSP plant deployment, reflecting China’s growing technical capabilities in extreme-environment renewable energy infrastructure.
The project introduces the first commercial application of domestically developed 8.6-meter large-aperture parabolic trough collectors. Designed with six hours of molten salt thermal storage, the system enables power generation beyond daylight hours while supporting peak load management. Utilizing heat transfer oil-based technology, the solar field spans 242,000 square meters and incorporates 68 loops, including eight equipped with the newly developed 8.6-meter collectors and 60 with 5.77-meter variants.
Annual electricity generation is projected at approximately 719 million kilowatt-hours. The facility is expected to reduce coal consumption by about 216,900 tons and lower carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 652,300 tons. Over its lifecycle, the project is anticipated to contribute around 774 million yuan ($110.57 million) in local tax revenue. To date, it has generated over 2,000 local jobs and delivered more than 5.2 million yuan in income through labor and equipment utilization, the company stated.
According to Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, China’s expansion into ultra-high-altitude CSP highlights both the region’s strong solar resources and advancing technological maturity. He noted that deploying projects above 4,500 meters remains technically demanding, yet China is currently leading in translating such capabilities into commercial-scale execution. The high-altitude CSP plant initiative aligns with broader national efforts to scale renewables, storage, and electrification to reduce reliance on oil and mitigate risks linked to global energy supply disruptions.
Industry data from the China Solar Thermal Alliance indicates that around 25 CSP projects were under active construction by the end of 2025, totaling approximately 3,000 megawatts in capacity. China’s long-term target aims to expand installed CSP capacity to about 15,000 megawatts by 2030, implying the addition of roughly 6,000 megawatts over the next five years, based on guidance from the National Development and Reform Commission.