Beijing, 5 October 2022 (TDI): As part of the largest hybrid energy project ever, China is modernizing a significant hydroelectric power plant that produces electricity using both hydro and photovoltaic energy.
A solar power facility with a production capacity of one million kW will be constructed in the Sichuan Province of southwest China, near the Lianghekou Hydropower Station on the Yalong River.
Up to 4,600 meters above sea level, the solar panels will be mounted on the mountains with the additional 1 million kW of power.
When the energy project is finished in 2023, it should run for 1,735 hours per year with an average annual electricity capacity of 2 billion kilowatt-hours.
In order to reach carbon neutrality before 2060 and reach its carbon emission peak in 2030, China is introducing sustainable energy methods.
According to Qi Ningchun, chairman of the Yalong River Hydropower Development Co. Ltd., the project’s operator, Kela Station will aid in reducing carbon dioxide emissions by over 1.6 million tonnes, which is equivalent to burning 600,000 tonnes of coal.
The hydroelectric station will include a backup power supply in Kela Station because the outputs of the two units fluctuate significantly throughout the year.
The Yalong River, which originates in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and flows through the province of Sichuan, is a significant tributary of the Yangtze River. However, during the winter months, the water flow is severely restricted. The hydroelectric plant produces the greatest electricity in the summer, whereas solar power plants like Kela function best in the fall and spring.
The output fluctuation of solar plants throughout the day is a concern. With full sunshine, performance is at its best during noon, but no electricity is generated at night.
Such energy supply variations may have an impact on the grid’s capacity to operate steadily. The system will get more electricity by merging the utilization of two different power sources into one station, as well as a much more consistent supply of electricity.
The hydropower station, which is connected to the national grid, will receive electricity from the Kela Photovoltaic Station, which will help to reduce the effects of the unsteady power output’s daily and seasonal variations.
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