China has connected the world’s largest offshore solar power project to its national grid, marking a significant step in the country’s push to expand renewable energy generation.
The gigawatt-scale offshore photovoltaic project, developed by a subsidiary of China Energy Investment Corporation, is located off the coast of Kenli District in Dongying, in China’s eastern Shandong province.
It is the first offshore solar installation in the country to reach gigawatt capacity.
Spanning more than 1,200 hectares of open sea, the project consists of nearly 3,000 photovoltaic platforms, each roughly the size of five basketball courts. Together, they form the largest open-sea solar farm in the world.
Built by Guohua Energy Investment Company, the installation incorporates new engineering approaches designed to cope with the harsh marine environment.
Each platform is mounted on a fixed-pile foundation supported by large steel trusses, allowing the panels to remain stable in strong winds and icy conditions.
Zhang Bo, deputy manager of the Kenli project, said the design was intended to balance durability with efficiency.
“The project uses a ‘four-pile foundation plus solar platform’ structure, with the panels tilted at a precisely calculated 15 degrees,” he mentioned. “This enables the installation to withstand force 11 gales and winter sea ice, while reducing steel consumption by more than 10 percent.”
The project also introduces a new transmission system.
For the first time in China, a 66-kilovolt offshore cable has been combined with an onshore cable to transmit electricity from an offshore photovoltaic facility.
Developers say the approach increases transmission capacity while lowering costs, and could be replicated in future projects.
Once operating at full capacity, the offshore solar farm is expected to generate about 1.78 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, enough to meet around 60 percent of Kenli District’s annual power demand.
Zhang said the project would help strengthen regional energy security and support China’s broader transition away from fossil fuels.
“This is an important step in accelerating the shift towards a green, low-carbon energy system,” he said. “It also provides valuable experience for offshore solar development, not only in China but internationally.”
By combining marine space with solar generation, the Kenli project highlights China’s ambition to scale up clean energy technologies and reinforce its position as a global leader in renewable power.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday...
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are m...
German voters cast ballots on Sunday in two state elections that could add to the political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his governmen...
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said a Togo-flagged oil tanker was struck while attempting to make an “illegal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media said early on Friday.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
The European Union will disburse €3.3 billion ($3.8 billion) to Ukraine for missiles and drones, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
German voters cast ballots on Sunday in two state elections that could add to the political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his government faces growing public frustration and a resurgent far right.
Iraq has returned restricted airspace across the western part of the country to civilian authorities, ending limits imposed for military operations against Islamic State since 2016, the Transport Ministry said.
Denmark and Greenland have moved to reassure the public that their sovereignty will remain intact under a new security agreement with the United States.
World leaders are set to gather at the United Nations General Assembly in New York for several days of high-level debate, with Iran, Ukraine, artificial intelligence (AI) and a range of global crises expected to dominate discussions this week.
Ed Sheeran has broken his silence on the controversy surrounding his U.S. tour, apologising for decisions made after rapper Macklemore was removed from the line-up over his public support for Palestine.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment