China has unveiled the world’s first dual-tower solar thermal power station in the Gobi Desert, using 27,000 mirrors to generate renewable energy round the clock, a landmark in clean energy innovation.
The newly commissioned plant in Guazhou County in northwestern Gansu province is unlike any solar project built before. It uses two solar towers feeding a single turbine system, an arrangement never previously achieved anywhere in the world.
Nearly 27,000 mirrors, known as heliostats, have been installed in the desert to track and reflect sunlight onto the two 200-metre-high (656 feet) towers. These towers are placed about 1 kilometre (0.62 miles) apart and work in tandem to concentrate solar energy on receivers located at their summits.
The heat generated, reaching temperatures high enough to melt metal, is used to produce steam that drives a central turbine, generating electricity without burning fossil fuels. This dual-tower configuration enables more efficient use of sunlight, reduced energy loss, and greater operational flexibility compared to conventional single-tower systems.
