Qinghai ranks second nationwide in wind and solar resources: survey

(ECNS) -- Qinghai Province in Northwest China ranks second nationally in total developable wind and solar resources and holds the top spot for solar thermal potential, according to a pilot survey released Thursday.

"Compared with other pilot provinces, Qinghai's wind power is second only to Inner Mongolia and solar power second only to Xizang. Its comprehensive conditions for solar thermal power development rank first in the country," Xu Haiming, director of the Qinghai Provincial Energy Administration, said at a press conference on Thursday.

Qinghai is rich in water, wind and solar energy resources, with about 100,000 square kilometers of desert and Gobi land available for new energy development.

In May 2024, China launched a pilot survey of wind and solar power resources across six provincial-level regions.

The survey shows that Qinghai has three major wind energy zones: the Tanggula Mountains, the Qaidam Basin and the area around Qinghai Lake. The province's total theoretical wind power capacity is about 450 GW, with a technically developable capacity of about 233 GW. Currently, about 28 GW of wind power projects are either built or under construction, with a development rate of 12%.

For solar power, the province's theoretical annual generation ranges from 1,500 to 2,100 hours, with two major concentrated development areas in the Qaidam Basin and the Gonghe Basin. Qinghai's total theoretical solar capacity is about 11,500 GW, with technically developable capacity of 2,576 GW. Currently, 62 GW of solar projects are either built or under construction, with a development rate of 2.4%.

For solar thermal power, the annual average direct normal irradiance (DNI) in developable areas exceeds 6,480 MJ per square meter. The province's theoretical solar thermal capacity is about 8,300 GW, with a technically developable capacity of 970 GW. Currently, 3.46 GW of solar thermal projects are either built, under construction, or in the planning stage, with a development rate of 0.36%.

"We are committed to building Qinghai into China's 'Solar Thermal Capital,'" Xu said.

The province plans to have 8 GW of solar thermal capacity under construction or in operation by 2030, with operational capacity exceeding 5 GW, accounting for one-third of the national total.

(By Tang Yuxian)