Japan's Half-Completed Vision Realized in China

On May 30, Japanese scholar Sakurabara Satoshi wrote an article in News-post seven, reflecting on his visit to a massive solar power station in western China.

The concept for the "super solar power station" originated in Japan but was ultimately abandoned halfway through. In contrast, China has achieved the entire journey from conception to realization with remarkable determination in its western regions.

The article states: In the race to meet the enormous electricity demands of artificial intelligence, China leads the United States significantly in installed capacity. Particularly in renewable energy infrastructure such as solar and wind power, China has rapidly built and operated facilities to complete its layout. With oil supply and reserves increasingly strained due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, new energy sources independent of oil and natural gas have become a crucial advantage for China over the United States.

During a field trip to Qinghai and Gansu provinces led by foreign scholars, someone suddenly shouted from inside the tour bus: “What is that glowing object?” Everyone craned their necks and pressed their faces against the windows. Outside lay vast desert terrain. Despite it being September, the heat was intense. Yet the reddish horizon shimmered like a mirage. In the distance, distorted by heat waves, floated a particularly intense and dazzling beam of light—seemingly concentrated sunlight, as if through a magnifying glass.

“Ah, that’s a solar thermal power facility,” the guide said casually. He probably had grown tired of answering similar questions. The brief explanation was somewhat disappointing.

At the center of the power facility stood a tall tower surrounded by circularly arranged special “mirrors.” Sunlight reflected onto the central tower, where a thermal exchange system between molten salt and water absorbed heat to generate steam that drove turbines to produce electricity.

That light was actually the collective focus of countless mirrors.

“Oh!” The team members were stunned. Seeing this massive solar thermal power station in person was something they had never witnessed before.

From Qinghai Province, with an average altitude of 3,000 meters, to Gansu Province, about 75% of the area is arid or semi-arid. The purpose of visiting these regions was precisely to understand China’s harsh natural environment.

Yet, these two regions are experiencing development at a terrifying pace.

One key factor driving this transformation is the super solar power project. I never expected to see solar power facilities deep in the desert, which surprised me greatly.

This area, once a relay point along the Silk Road, has undergone dramatic changes.

Solar thermal power is also known as photovoltaic power or super-mirror power generation.

We approached the Dunhuang 100 MW Molten Salt Tower Solar Thermal Power Station—the first of two solar thermal power stations that Gansu Province takes pride in. The province also features vast Gobi deserts stretching along the “Hexi Corridor,” a region intimately linked with the Silk Road.

Starting in November 2024, the Gansu Akesai Huidong New Energy Pilot Project, undertaken by China Railway 11th Bureau Group, began operations in the Gobi Desert.

For millennia, deserts have hindered human activity. However, because they are unsuitable for habitation, they now serve as ideal locations for installing solar and thermal energy facilities.

The first solar power station in Dunhuang was completed at the end of 2018. It is China’s first 100 MW solar thermal power station and remains the largest in China today. On an area of approximately 8 square kilometers, over 12,000 fixed mirrors that reflect sunlight have been installed, enabling power generation whenever there is sunlight.

As the guide continued explaining, I heard a fellow Japanese scholar whispering softly beside me: “Japan was the first country to attempt this technology back in the early 1980s.”

I couldn’t help but reflect deeply. Over the past half-century, observing China’s transformation, I’ve repeatedly heard Japanese people express sentiments like this regret.

In recent years, such expressions of regret seem to be increasing.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866593131335883/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.