What is Xinjiang's photothermal power station?

At the very center of the stellar array stands a 220-meter tower. The project is an attempt by the region to capitalize on its abundant solar energy and turn it into heat and electricity. The photothermal power station is the first of its kind in Xinjiang.

How many concentrated solar power projects will China build by 2024?

By 2024 China is building 30 Concentrated Solar Power Projects as part of gigawatt-scale renewable energy complexes in each province, appropriately reflecting the urgency and scale needed for climate action

Why are solar panels made in Xinjiang?

More than 40 per cent of China’s total reserves are in the arid region. That is an important factor in producing solar panels. Manufacturers make polysilicon through chemical evaporation at high temperatures of around 900 Celsius. Local solar companies have repeatedly sought to assure investors that they do not use forced labour from Xinjiang.

Where are PV power stations located in China?

Results show that PV power stations in China's 12 biggest deserts expanded from 0 to 102.56 km 2 from 2011 to 2018, mainly distributed in the central part of north China. The desert vegetation in the deployment area of PV power stations presented a significant greening trend.

Where are Xinjiang Uygur solar panels located?

An employee inspects photovoltaic panels at a solar power plant in Hami prefecture, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, in September. [Photo by Cai Zengle/China News Service] URUMQI－In the vast Gobi Desert in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, over 10,000 pentagonal mirror-like devices form concentric rings resembling a radiating sun.

Are PV power stations booming in China?

China has vast desert areas, mainly located in the northern arid and semi-arid regions (SFA, 2011). In these areas, where ecosystems are very fragile, PV power stations are booming (Wu et al., 2014a).