China Three Gorges Renewables, a unit of state-owned China Three Gorges Corp., has announced plans to build a giant renewable energy cluster in the Kubuqi Desert, Ordos, Inner Mongolia.
The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration (NEA) are spearheading the CNY 79.79 billion ($11 billion) project.
The 16 GW project will feature 22 booster stations, each with a capacity of 220 kV, spanning about 1,400 square kilometers. It will include 8 GW of PV, 4 GW of wind power, a 200 MW solar thermal power system, a 4 GW coal-fired power plant for frequency and peak regulation, and a 500 MWh energy storage system with electrochemical storage and electrically heated molten salt storage.
The PV and solar thermal sections secured government approval prior to the announcement date, while the wind and coal power sections have obtained administrative permits. Other necessary approvals are currently being processed.
A joint venture will fund the project, with a subsidiary of China Three Gorges Renewables holding 56% and a regional energy group from Inner Mongolia holding 44%. Of the total investment, 20% (approximately CNY 15.96 billion) will come from own funds, while the remaining 80% will be financed through bank loans and financial leasing.
China Three Gorges Renewables plans to start construction in September 2024, with completion and grid connection expected by June 2027. The generated electricity will be transmitted to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and North China through the soon-to-be-constructed ±800 kV ultra-high voltage transmission project, Mengxi-Jing-Jin-Ji Line.
China Three Gorges Renewables' largest shareholder is China Three Gorges Corp., which is under the direct control of the State Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) of the State Council. The company is a strategic entity for China Three Gorges Corp.’s renewable energy projects, including onshore wind, offshore wind, and solar power development.
By the end of 2023, China Three Gorges Renewables’ power generation assets spanned 30 provinces across China, with a total installed capacity exceeding 40 GW and total assets surpassing CNY 310 billion.
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It is hardly a 16 GW renewables cluster if 4 GW are provided by a coal plant.