China finishes world’s highest-altitude solar thermal plant, set to power 50,000 homes

Construction is complete on a 100 MW concentrated solar-thermal power station on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, making it the highest-altitude plant of its type worldwide. Located in Amdo County at an elevation of 15,258 feet, the facility employs 15,927 heliostats spread over about 800,000 square metres to concentrate solar energy onto a receiver on a 210-metre tower, raising molten-salt temperatures to roughly 1,040 °F. The system incorporates eight hours of thermal storage, enabling continued power output after dark.

Expected to connect to the grid by October 2026, the plant should generate about 255 million kWh per year, enough to supply roughly 50,000 homes and replace the combustion of 60,000 tons of coal, avoiding roughly 165,000 tons of CO₂ emissions. Engineers designed lightweight, ultra-rigid mirror supports and UV-resistant coatings to withstand the harsh high-altitude environment.