BrightSource JV to build 135-MW project under China's CSP pilot

US concentrating solar power (CSP) specialist BrightSource Energy Inc said Monday it will deploy its technology as part of China's 1.35-GW CSP commercial demonstration pilot programme.

A 135-MW project of the company's joint venture in China is among the 20 projects selected under the programme, out of 109 applications. China's National Energy Administration (NEA) unveiled the list of 20 projects targeted for completion by the end of 2018 earlier this month. This followed the publication by the National Development and Reform Committee of the CSP pilot programme feed-in tariff (FiT) of CNY 1.15 (USD 0.17/EUR 0.15) per kWh on September 1.

The Huanghe Qinghai Delingha solar thermal power generation project, the first of the BrightSource-Shanghai Electric Group Co Ltd (HKG:272) joint venture, is located in the Qinghai province in northwest China and is planned for multiple towers with thermal energy storage. The first 135-MW tower with storage was chosen under the pilot programme and will be majority-owned by Huanghe Hydropower Development Co Ltd, a subsidiary of China's State Power Investment Corporation, BrightSource said.

"This pilot program is of unprecedented scale and will drive cost reductions throughout the CSP supply chain, increasing solar thermal’s competitiveness around the world," commented BrightSource chief executive and chairman David Ramm.

Under its most recent five-year plan, China targets 10 GW of CSP with thermal energy storage by 2020.

(CNY 1.0 = USD 0.150/EUR 0.133)

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