On March 12, PetroChina’s Dushanzi Petrochemical Company officially began construction of a photovoltaic (PV)–molten salt energy storage demonstration project, marking a new step in the company’s transition toward low-carbon industrial energy systems.
The project, with a total investment of RMB 820 million (around USD 114 million), will cover an area of more than 6,000 mu (about 400 hectares). The groundbreaking ceremony was held simultaneously at two locations: the retrofit site for Unit 3 at the thermal power plant under Phase I, and the construction site for Phase II of the PV–molten salt energy storage project.
Designed as a green demonstration initiative within PetroChina’s refining and chemical business, the project integrates solar PV generation with molten salt thermal energy storage. The system will form a complete energy conversion chain of “renewable electricity heating – molten salt thermal storage – heat release for steam generation.” Once operational, it will enable renewable electricity to replace coal-fired boilers, ensuring a stable supply of both electricity and steam for downstream industrial production.
The project is also a key step in Dushanzi Petrochemical’s plan to phase out coal use in its energy system. Within PetroChina, it represents the first demonstration project combining “PV + energy storage + steam turbine” for industrial heat and power supply.
After completion, the facility is expected to play a major role in building a low-carbon heat supply system, with molten salt energy storage as the primary source and natural gas as a supplementary backup, supporting the company’s broader decarbonization strategy.
