China has started construction on the Ruitan demonstration project in Yantai, Shandong, which combines supercritical carbon dioxide generation with molten salt energy storage at the Bajiao coal power plant. The first phase includes a 50 MW supercritical CO2 unit and a 100 MW/400 MWh thermal storage system, designed to use surplus power from coal units to heat salt during off-peak hours, then dispatch that heat to generate electricity during peak demand. The supercritical CO2 cycle uses CO2 in a closed loop instead of water steam, promising higher efficiency, no water use, and faster ramp rates, though the project's carbon impact will depend on how much coal it displaces.
