China's 1-gigawatt solar plant stores heat in molten salt to run after dark

China Three Gorges Corporation began commercial trial of a hybrid solar-concentrated thermal system in the Gobi Desert that can generate power up to eight hours after sunset using molten salt storage instead of batteries.

First covered Jul 9, 2026 · 12:53 PM PT · 1 article

China's 1-gigawatt solar plant stores heat in molten salt to run after dark — Image via electrek.co

Coverage

1d Electrek China’s giant Gobi solar plant runs after dark on salt, not batteries — China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG) has put the world’s largest solar PV-plus-concentrated-solar hybrid into commercial trial operation in the Gobi Desert —…

More coverage from around the web

techtimes.com Dispatchable Solar Clears 1 GW: China’s Gobi Desert Plant Runs After Sunset

thecooldown.com China's 1-gigawatt Gobi solar plant runs 8 hours after sunset — with no batteries

scmp.com China flicks the switch on world-first thermal power station in Gobi Desert | South China Morning Post

esgnews.earth Dual Towers Light Up Gobi Desert, Powering China's Future | ESG News.earth

english.scio.gov.cn China transforms barren lands into solar thermal powerhouses | english.scio.gov.cn

Appeared in: 2026-07-09 (#3) · 2026-07-10 (#4)

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