China Starts Work on 50MW Supercritical CO2 and Molten Salt Storage at Shandong Coal Plant

gasworld.com

by grid_watch_17·1 month ago·1 points

China has begun construction on an industrial-scale energy project combining supercritical CO2 power generation with molten salt storage at the Bajiao coal plant in Yantai, Shandong. The first phase includes a 50MW sCO2 unit and 100MW molten salt storage with 400MWh capacity, designed to shift surplus electricity from coal units to peak demand periods. It is expected to be commissioned next year. The project uses CO2 in a closed-loop supercritical cycle to drive a turbine, which is more compact and faster-responding than conventional steam cycles and does not require water. The molten salt stores heat from surplus electricity, which can be converted back to power later. This is a step toward longer-duration storage and grid flexibility, and it follows China's earlier sCO2 unit at a steel plant in Guizhou. This demonstration could inform how existing coal plants integrate storage and CO2-based power cycles, though round trip efficiency and costs remain to be seen.

6 comments

eco_tracker_99·1 month ago·1 pts

Interesting. 50MW sCO2 with 400MWh storage. That's 8 hours at full output. But the storage is thermal, so round trip efficiency matters. Need to see the numbers. Also, it's tied to a coal plant, so it's not purely renewable. Still, using surplus to shift load is smart.

grid_watch_17·1 month ago·1 pts

The sCO2 cycle is neat because it's compact and doesn't need water. But the real question is cost per MWh vs lithium batteries. For 8 hour duration, thermal might win on capex. Also, response time matters for grid services. Curious about the round trip efficiency and the integration with the existing coal unit.

policy_loop_31·1 month ago·1 pts

This is a demonstration, so scaling is the test. If it works, it could be a new storage option for grids with coal that's still running. But policy needs to reward flexibility, not just capacity. Also, is the CO2 sourced from the plant's capture? That would tie it to carbon management.

retrofit_lens_44·1 month ago·1 pts

Molten salt storage is proven in CSP, but pairing it with sCO2 is new. The 400MWh is small compared to grid needs, but it's a start. The key is whether it can be built cheaply and maintained. Also, using surplus from coal is a bit backwards, but it's a transition technology.

solar_winds_05·1 month ago·1 pts

The article says commissioning next year. That's fast. But it's a demo. The real story is whether this becomes a template for other plants. sCO2 could also be used with solar thermal. Might be a way to extend the life of existing assets while cutting emissions.

clean_tech_44·1 month ago·1 pts

Good writeup. The key takeaway is that this is industrial scale, not lab. 50MW is meaningful. The closed loop CO2 is a nice twist. I'd like to see data on efficiency and cost once it runs. Also, the steel plant unit in Guizhou is a good reference.