September 2026 saw a flurry of activity across China’s concentrated solar power (CSP) and molten salt thermal energy storage sectors, with a number of major projects reaching key milestones, including EPC awards, equipment procurement, feasibility studies and project services.
In the CSP sector, a preferred bidder was identified for the EPC contract of CGN’s 350 MW Golmud CSP Demonstration Project. China Resources Power finalized the valve procurement for its 100 MW CSP project in the Northern Tianshan region of Xinjiang. China Energy Engineering Corporation (Energy China) secured the EPC contract for the 800 MW PV + 100 MW CSP integrated project in Damxung County, Tibet. Qingneng Group’s 350 MW tower CSP project in Golmud announced preferred bidders for its feasibility study and related services. The feasibility study review service for the 350 MW Delingha molten salt trough CSP demonstration project was also awarded, while the supervision contract for a 200 MW CSP project in the Ordos renewable energy base in the central and northern Kubuqi Desert was finalized.
In the molten salt thermal energy storage sector, Huaneng Xi’an Thermal Power Research Institute finalized a framework agreement for molten salt valve procurement for 2026–2029. Huaneng Jingmen Thermal Power selected the contractor for a molten salt thermal storage retrofit project designed to support frequency regulation, peak shaving and secure steam supply at a coal-fired power plant. Guodian Power completed procurement for the feasibility study of a molten salt energy storage project supporting the Dafang–Xian transmission line in Datong. A contract was awarded for molten salt electric heater equipment for a molten salt-based extraction steam energy storage and peak-shaving system at Shaanxi Yushen Yuheng Coal Power. Sinotruk’s new molten salt thermal energy storage steam supply EPC project announced its preferred bidder, while China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) New Energy finalized the construction contract for a molten salt tank test loop.
Overall, the month saw continued activity across feasibility studies, equipment procurement, EPC contracting, project supervision and testing, highlighting the accelerating development of both CSP and molten salt thermal energy storage in China.
According to CSPPLAZA’s incomplete statistics, 12 major project tenders across the CSP and molten salt thermal energy storage sectors reached contract award or preferred-bidder announcement stages in September 2026. The projects are summarized below.
