BEIJING: China has made a significant breakthrough in renewable energy by introducing an advanced power generation system that uses salt and thousands of mirrors to produce low-cost electricity.
According to reports, around 12,000 mirrors are used in the project to concentrate sunlight onto a central tower, which is nearly as tall as an 80-storey building. Inside the tower, a large volume of salt is heated by intense solar radiation to temperatures of up to 565°C.
The heated salt is then stored in specially designed tanks, where its heat energy is used to convert water into steam. The steam drives turbines that generate electricity, which is supplied to millions of households.
Chinese authorities said similar projects are under development, with a combined potential capacity of around 3,000 megawatts. The country has set a target to produce up to 15,000 megawatts of electricity through this technology by 2030.
Experts say a key advantage of the system is the ability of salt to retain heat for extended periods, allowing electricity generation to continue for up to 11 hours after sunset—significantly longer than conventional lithium battery storage systems.
Officials added that China is heavily investing in clean energy projects as part of efforts to reduce dependence on oil and gas. Energy analysts suggest that if similar systems are introduced in Pakistan’s desert regions, they could help create new opportunities for affordable and alternative energy production.
