China ranks second globally in solar thermal power capacity

XINING, July 16 (Xinhua) -- China had 2.1 gigawatts of concentrated solar power (CSP) capacity in operation as of the end of June 2026, ranking second worldwide behind only Spain, the China Electricity Council said on Thursday.

China had 24 CSP projects in operation, while another 26 projects with a combined capacity of 3.2 gigawatts were under construction, according to data released at a clean energy forum in northwest China's Qinghai Province.

CSP plants use mirrors to concentrate sunlight and produce heat, which can be stored and used to generate electricity when needed. Their stable and dispatchable output can help power grids manage fluctuations in wind and photovoltaic generation.

China has localized more than 95 percent of CSP equipment, while average construction costs have halved over the past decade to about 15,000 yuan (roughly 2,200 U.S. dollars) per kilowatt.

The country aims to increase its installed CSP capacity to 15 gigawatts by 2030.