Qinghai Province has announced the findings of its comprehensive wind and solar power resource survey.
Compared to other pilot provinces, Qinghai's total exploitable wind and solar resources rank second nationally. Its wind power potential is second only to Inner Mongolia, and its photovoltaic (PV) potential is second only to Tibet. The province's comprehensive conditions for solar thermal power development are ranked first in the country, placing its overall resource quality at the forefront nationally.
The survey was part of a national pilot program launched in May 2024 to assess the core metrics of development status, resource endowment, development conditions, and exploitable potential for various energy sources, including onshore wind, onshore PV, solar thermal, offshore wind, offshore PV, rooftop distributed PV, and marine energy across six pilot regions.
Qinghai, rich in clean energy resources like hydro, wind, and solar, is focused on building a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient energy system. The province currently has approximately 100,000 square kilometers of desert and barren land suitable for new energy development.
The survey results indicate that wind resources are abundant across Qinghai, forming three major wind energy belts: the Tanggula Mountains, the Qaidam Basin, and around Qinghai Lake. The province's theoretical wind power development potential is about 450 million kilowatts, with a technical potential of approximately 233 million kilowatts. Currently, built and under-construction wind projects total about 28 million kilowatts, representing a development rate of 12%.
For photovoltaic power, Qinghai's theoretical annual power generation level ranges from 1,500 to 2,100 hours, with the Qaidam Basin and Gonghe Basin identified as the two main concentrated construction zones. The province's theoretical PV development potential is about 11.5 billion kilowatts, with a technical potential of 2.576 billion kilowatts. Currently, built and under-construction PV projects total 62 million kilowatts, representing a development rate of 2.4%.
In terms of solar thermal power resources, the average annual Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) in Qinghai's developable areas exceeds 6,480 megajoules per square meter. The theoretical potential for solar thermal power is about 8.3 billion kilowatts, with a technical potential of 970 million kilowatts. Currently, the total capacity of built, under-construction, and planned solar thermal projects is 3.46 million kilowatts, representing a development rate of 0.36%.
The province is committed to building itself into "China's Capital of Solar Thermal Power." Plans are in place to reach a total operational and under-construction capacity of 8 million kilowatts by 2030, with operational installed capacity exceeding 5 million kilowatts, accounting for one-third of the national planned total.
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