At a high altitude, China has created the world’s biggest hydro-solar power plant as part of its commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Bringing together the production of solar and hydroelectric power, this plant is a significant step towards meeting China’s environmental targets.
Commencing full operations on Sunday, the Kela photovoltaic (PV) power station had its groundbreaking construction start in July of 2022. The Design and Research Institute of PowerChina Chengdu came up with the idea to construct this hydro-solar power plant, battling the challenges associated with building at high altitudes and lower oxygen levels. The station’s commencement of operations has brought about an important accomplishment.
The Kela PV Power Station is nestled in the Yalong River Basin of Garze’s Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, part of Sichuan Province in China. Unbelievably, its Lianghekou Hydropower Station was the first phase to launch and it happened as recently as March. It’s no small feat either— with an installed capacity of one million kilowatts, it’s the largest hydro-solar grid ever created!
This newly built power station has the capacity to supply juice to 15,000 electric cars in an hour, enabling them to drive up to 550 kilometers on a full tank. Each year it’s able to generate 2 billion kWh of electricity, enough to satisfy the energy demands of 700k households. Best of all, the facility can reduce CO2 emission by 1.6 mil tonnes which is equal to 600k tonnes of coal.
It’s a no brainer if you want steady power output with zero emissions. You merge solar and hydro energy together. These two non-polluting sources smooth out the wild weather-induced peaks and valleys in energy production, making sure you get reliable clean power all year round.
Kela PV power station’s construction was truly magnificent. To bring it to life, a whopping 527,000 photovoltaic foundation piles and around 50,000 tonnes of steel were used. Not only that, this project also seeks to galvanize numerous industries in nearby minority areas, such as agriculture, animal husbandry, tourism and so on.
China’s construction of the largest hydro-solar power plant in the world illustrates the country’s dedication to the generation of sustainable energy and makes a substantial contribution to international efforts to combat climate change. This large-scale project’s successful completion serves as an inspiration for nations around the world, encouraging the widespread use of renewable energy sources and moving us one step closer to a greener and more sustainable future.