Recently, the foundation excavation for the absorber tower of the Tushuo 100 MW solar thermal + 800 MW photovoltaic (PV) hybrid project in Anduo County, Tibet—the world’s first ultra-high-altitude solar thermal initiative—was successfully completed. This milestone marks the official start of main construction for Tibet’s inaugural concentrated solar power (CSP) project, injecting new momentum into clean energy development on the plateau.
Located approximately 17.5 km east of Pana Town, Anduo County, Nagqu City, Tibet, the integrated project adopts molten salt tower technology for its CSP component. The heliostat field covers a total light-collecting area of no less than 800,000 square meters, with a thermal storage capacity of ≥8 hours (equivalent under turbine-rated efficiency). Both the heat transfer and storage medium utilize binary molten salt. The EPC contract for the CSP section was awarded to a consortium comprising PowerChina Northwest Engineering Corporation Limited and Shandong Electric Power Construction Co., Ltd., while Dongfang Boiler Group Co., Ltd. (a subsidiary of Dongfang Electric Corporation) secured the contract for the heliostat and heat collection system.
The hybrid project broke ground on May 21, 2023, and achieved its annual construction target for the first-phase 125 MW PV section on October 31, 2024. This progress underscores Tibet’s ambitious strides toward harnessing high-altitude renewable energy resources while balancing ecological preservation.
