How big is Longyangxia PV plant?

The Longyangxia PV plant has a capacity of 320 MW and covers a 9 km2 area. It is connected directly to one of the turbine units by a 330 kV transmission line. As one of the largest solar PV stations in the world, without the balancing power of the Longyangxia hydro turbine, this could pose a serious problem for the stability of the grid.

What is a Longyangxia coupling of PV and hydropower?

Large-scale centralised PV power is still in its infancy, and the Longyangxia coupling of PV and hydropower is the first of its kind and provides a valuable example for future hybrid systems linking variable renewables and hydropower.

Where is Longyangxia solar power station located?

The Longyangxia solar–hybrid power station is located in the arid north-west of China, in an area with vast solar resources. The reservoir supports a 1,280 MW power station, with four 320 MW turbines.

What is Longyangxia solar park?

The solar park is considered the fifth, sixth, and seventh units by extension of the 1,280-MW Longyangxia hydropower plant, which has four 320-MW units. According to HHDC, the solar park is connected to the hydropower plant by a one-circuit 330-kV line that stretches for 33 miles.

Why is Longyangxia hydropower station a good investment?

Qinghai province is dry, and water is a scarce resource, so the Longyangxia reservoir only releases water with caution. With the addition of the solar project, the hydropower station has been able to increase its annual capacity utilisation and economic efficiency.

Who developed the Longyangxia project?

The Longyangxia project has been developed by Huanghe Hydropower Development Co. (HHDC), whose chairman, Xie Xiaoping, is a staunch advocate of renewable energy. “The development of clean energy is very important if we are to keep the promises made in the Paris [climate] agreement,” Xiaoping told Britain’s The Guardian newspaper earlier this year.