Beijing Jingneng, a Chinese energy utility, has announced plans to invest $3bn in a combined solar and wind plant with hydrogen to be used as an energy store.
The 5GW plant will be built in Inner Mongolia, and follows China General Nuclear Power Group’s aim of spending $2.5bn on a 1GW solar facility and a 2GW wind farm in the same area.
The plans were published on Friday by Chinese digital outlet The Paper.
Beijing Jingnen said the chosen site was at the junction of Mongolia, Shaanxi and Ningxia provinces, a good location with "rich mineral resources, convenient transportation network, and broad development prospects", including rapid growth in coal mining, chemicals and the LNG industries.
It said: "A modern energy industry system based on multi-dimensional transformations is taking shape. It is an important hub connecting Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to Shaanxi and Ningxia and extending to the southwest."
Construction will begin this month, with completion scheduled for next year. When operating at full capacity, the energy complex hopes to produce between 400,000 and 500,000 tonnes of hydrogen a year.
As well as the green hydrogen plant, Beijing Jingneng intends to build a natural gas pipeline, an agricultural logistics centre, an industrial steam facility and a quartz sand processing plant.
Chinese solar capacity increased by 17% in 2019, according to figures released in January from the country’s National Energy Administration.
Image: The steppes of Inner Mongolia are considered favourable for wind and solar production (Sunluyang/Public domain)
Further reading:
