China marked a significant achievement on Sunday as the world’s largest and highest-altitude hydro-solar power plant commenced full operation which will generate power through a unique water-light complementary approach, setting a new standard in renewable energy innovation.
Solar-hydro power combo
This groundbreaking facility combines the advantages of hydro and solar power to provide stable and high-quality clean energy. While solar power generation fluctuates with weather conditions and day-night cycles, the hydropower component of the plant helps regulate the supply and ensures a consistent output.
- The Kela photovoltaic power station is located in the Yalong River Basin of the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garze in southwest China’s Sichuan province.
- It has a remarkable installed capacity of 1 million kilowatts, making it the largest hydro-solar power grid on the planet
- The power station is expected to meet the annual electricity needs of 700,000 households by generating 2 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean energy per year.
Clean energy
This innovative approach not only promotes renewable energy utilization but also contributes to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. According to Yang Zhiwei, the construction project manager at PowerChina Chengdu Engineering Co., the plant’s operation will result in a reduction of more than 1.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, equivalent to saving 600,000 tonnes of standard coal.
100-GW China Hydro-Solar Project
The Kela hydro-solar plant is the first phase of the larger, 100-GW China Hydro-Solar Project centered around the Lianghekou Hydropower Station on the Yalong River.
This initial phase including 1 GW of solar power capacity and 3 GW of hydropower generation, is situated at an altitude of approximately 15,000 feet, making it the highest-elevation power plant in the world.
The Lianghekou station, featuring six 500-MW Francis turbines, will be fully operational later this year. Once completed, the entire project aims to have a generation capacity of 100 million kilowatts (100 GW) and an annual production of about 300 billion kWh.
Kela hydro-solar plant
Spanning an area of over 16 million square meters, the Kela power plant is larger than 2,000 standard football fields. It incorporates 527,000 photovoltaic foundation piles, which, if connected, would stretch over 1,400 kilometers, surpassing the length of the Beijing-Tianjin Railway elevenfold. The project utilized nearly 50,000 tonnes of steel for the PV powerhouse, equivalent to the amount needed to construct another National Stadium (Bird’s Nest), the iconic venue of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Upon completion, the Yalong River Clean Energy Base will have an installed capacity exceeding 100 million kilowatts, enough to power 100 million households for a year. With an annual power generation of approximately 300 billion kWh, the base will become one of the world’s largest green, clean, and renewable energy complexes.
10 largest solar power parks in the world
- India – Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park in India has an operational capacity of 1GW (1000 MW) of energy each year.
- China – Jichuan Solar Park of China has 15 plants, all with a combined capacity of just over 1 GW.
- UAE – Noor Abu Dhabi Solar Power Project of UAE is the world’s largest single-site power plant, which provides power to roughly 90,000 homes with 1.17GW.
- China – Datong Solar Power Top Runner Base of China is a 3 GW solar PV power project commissioned in 2016.
- Egypt – Benban Solar Park in Egypt is Africa’s largest solar farm, with a colossal solar potential of 6.3kWh/m2 per day and 1.8GW of energy.
- China – The Tengger Desert Solar Park in China powers around 600,000 homes with a 1.51GW output.
- UAE – Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park of UAE is the largest in the world, with a current capacity of 1.63 GW, which is planning to grow to 5GW by 2030.
- India – Pavagada Solar Park in India provides 2.05GW.
- China – Golmud Solar Park, located in China, has an installed capacity of 2.8 GW.
- India – Bhadla Solar Park of India consistently generates a power of 2.25GW.