China Energy Engineering Corp. (CEEC) has officially started construction of the photovoltaic component of its Hami 1.5 GW solar demonstration project in Xinjiang, China. The project is part of a large multi-energy base combining solar PV with tower-based concentrated solar power (CSP) and molten-salt thermal storage.

The full project, formally known as the CEEC Hami 1,500 MW Multi-Energy Complementary Integrated Green Power Demonstration Project, is located in Santanghu Town, Barkol Kazakh Autonomous County, Hami. It is described as the world’s largest single-phase solar-thermal-storage project under construction, as well as the largest molten-salt tower CSP project currently being built in Xinjiang.

The hybrid plant will ultimately become the largest single-phase PV–CSP facility upon completion. At present, the largest operating hybrid plant is the China Three Gorges Hami PV–CSP plant in China, with a total capacity of around 1,000 MW, including approximately 900 MW of PV and 100 MW of CSP. It is followed by Noor Energy 1 in the United Arab Emirates, which has a total capacity of about 950 MW, combining 700 MW of CSP with 250 MW of PV.

With a total investment of approximately CNY 6.5 billion ($951.9 million) and a site area of about 33 km², the CEEC Hami project is expected to generate about 2.9 TWh annually, including around 200 GWh from CSP and about 2.7 TWh from PV.

Image: China Energy Engineering Corp

Construction on the CSP unit started in late 2024 and is now approaching completion, according to CEEC. The whole project is scheduled to reach grid-connection conditions by June 2026, with full-capacity commissioning planned for October.

As for the PV unit, it will use large-size n-type modules suited to desert conditions with strong ultraviolet radiation, wind, and sand exposure. The name of the provider was not disclosed.

Together, the two solar technologies are designed to form what CEEC said a round-the-clock generation loop, with PV supplying daytime output and CSP with thermal storage providing nighttime balancing and firm power. The plant is also intended to provide grid services including primary frequency regulation, reactive power support, and peak shaving.

CEEC said the project was designed for extreme desert conditions including high winds, cold weather, and saline soils. Protective structures have reportedly been added to heliostats to reduce mirror breakage by 90%, while the 219-m tower is described as a benchmark design for large-capacity tower CSP projects in China.

In strategic terms, the project is being presented as a model for China’s second batch of large “desert, Gobi and arid land” renewable bases and as a template for combining PV, CSP, and long-duration thermal storage at scale.

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