Xizang broke ground on its first tower-type solar thermal power plant in Amdo county, marking a major milestone in high-altitude clean energy development.

This cutting-edge facility employs molten salt tower technology, using 16,000 heliostats covering 800,000 square meters to focus sunlight onto an absorption tower, heating molten salt to 560 C. The stored heat ensures stable power generation, even in low sunlight days.

Located in a region with over 2,800 hours of annual sunlight, the plant is set to connect to the grid by October 2026. Once operational, its matrix of heliostats will transform sunlight into 260 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, saving 60,000 metric tons of coal and reducing 165,000 tons of carbon emissions each year.

In addition to energy production, the Xizang Development and Investment Group aims to create economic benefits for local communities. Through training programs in welding, electrical work, and heliostat installation, Tibetan farmers and herders are expected to generate 118 million yuan ($16.42 million) in income. The plant will also help stabilize the electricity supply in northern Xizang while contributing an expected 250 million yuan in tax revenue over its lifespan.