Generating solar energy nonstop without sunlight

LANZHOU — In Guazhou county of Northwest China's Gansu province, a solar thermal energy storage power station can generate power for 24 hours nonstop. The solar thermal energy storage power station can generate electricity with or without direct sunlight, thanks to heliostats and molten salt, while achieving stable all-day power output. Since China introduced new energy bases in its vast deserts, including the Gobi, large-scale solar thermal power generation development has also kicked off. According to a blue book on China's solar thermal power industry in 2023, the total installed capacity of the country's solar thermal generating units above megawatt-level reached 588 megawatts, accounting for 7.8 percent of the global cumulative installed capacity of solar thermal power generation.