A 120-megawatt photovoltaic and energy storage project in Nagqu, Southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, has successfully passed final inspection, marking the completion of construction and the project's transition to full-scale operations.
Surveyed, designed and constructed by Power Construction Corporation of China, the project, at an average altitude of over 4,500 meters, has a total installed capacity of 120 MW and an energy storage system of 24 MW/96 MWh.
A view of the 120-megawatt photovoltaic and energy storage project in Nagqu, Southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Faced with extreme conditions, including low oxygen levels (only 50 percent of those in plain areas), temperatures as low as -30°C, low atmospheric pressure and fragile ecosystems, the project team seized the short optimal windows to complete construction. An innovative 32-degree tilt angle for PV modules was employed, lifting power generation efficiency by 15 percent. The PV arrays are spaced 2.5 meters apart, establishing a complementary solar-pastoral model featuring power generation on the panels and grazing beneath them.
A view of the 120-megawatt PV and energy storage project in Nagqu, Xizang. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The team rigorously followed safety requirements for construction at high altitudes and ecological protection standards during construction. The project created jobs for 320 local herdsmen, sharing the benefits of clean energy development with them and contributing to Xizang’s rural revitalization drive.
A view of the 120-megawatt PV and energy storage project in Nagqu, Xizang. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
When it enters service, the project will produce an average of 210 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 137,200 metric tons. It will effectively shore up power supply weaknesses of the northern Xizang power grid and serve as a model for the development of complementary solar-pastoral projects at high altitudes.
A view of the 120-megawatt PV and energy storage project in Nagqu, Xizang. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
(Executive editor: Zuo Shihan)
