China ranks second globally in concentrated solar power capacity

China’s installed concentrated solar power (CSP) capacity reached 2.1 gigawatts as of the end of June 2026, making the country the world’s second-largest market after Spain, according to the China Electricity Council, as cited by Xinhua.

The industry body said that 24 CSP projects have already been completed across the country, while another 26 projects with a combined capacity of 3.2 GW are currently under construction. The figures were presented at the Clean Energy Forum in Qinghai Province in northwestern China.

CSP plants use mirrors to concentrate sunlight and generate heat, which can be stored and later used to produce electricity when needed.

The technology provides stable and dispatchable power, helping electricity grids manage fluctuations in wind and solar photovoltaic generation.

According to the China Electricity Council, the localisation rate of CSP technologies and equipment in China has exceeded 95 per cent. As the share of domestically developed components has increased, average construction costs for CSP facilities have fallen by half over the past decade to around 15,000 yuan (approximately $2,200) per kilowatt.

China plans to expand its installed CSP capacity to 15 GW by 2030.

By Jeyhun Aghazada