On March 15, the final steel beam was hoisted into place at the main facility of the Suzhou Power Plant’s “Coal Power + Molten Salt” energy storage project, marking the completion of its main construction. The project, operated by China Energy’s Anhui branch, is the largest of its kind in China and has now entered the equipment testing phase.
Source: People’s Daily Online
On March 15, the final steel beam was hoisted into place at the main facility of the Suzhou Power Plant’s “Coal Power + Molten Salt” energy storage project, marking the completion of its main construction. The project, operated by China Energy’s Anhui branch, is the largest of its kind in China and has now entered the equipment testing phase.
Molten salt thermal storage technology works by capturing and storing heat through temperature changes in the molten salt. During off-peak hours, when coal-fired units continue running at normal capacity, excess steam is redirected to molten salt storage tanks for energy storage. This stored heat is then released when electricity demand surges or during deep load regulation. Designed with a thermal storage capacity of 1,000 MWh, the Suzhou Power Plant’s system helps ease operational constraints caused by heating demands. It allows the plant to lower its output to just 30% of its rated capacity while maintaining full heating supply. When power generation needs to be ramped up to 100% during peak hours, the system can provide heating steam continuously for four hours. At a reduced output of 30%, it can sustain heating for five hours. The project also boosts the plant’s external heating capacity to 410 tons per hour—an increase of 260 tons per hour compared to previous levels.
Situated in the heart of the city, Suzhou Power Plant is a key cogeneration facility, supplying both electricity and heat with its two 350 MW coal-fired units. Once in operation, the project will not only improve grid stability by balancing electricity supply and heating demands, but also help integrate more renewable energy by absorbing surplus wind and solar power from nearby areas. Additionally, it supports the transition of coal power from a primary electricity provider to a more flexible, grid-stabilizing role.
According to estimates, the project will enable the integration of an additional 128 million kWh of renewable energy annually, reducing coal consumption by 32,000 tons and cutting carbon emissions by approximately 85,000 tons per year. It will also expand the plant’s heating capacity by 2.2 million tons annually, enough to meet the heating needs of more than 40 local industrial and commercial enterprises.
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