Technicians install photovoltaic equipment at a solar power station in the Kazak autonomous county. [Photo/Weibo account of Zhongxinguanlong]

By Jan 23, all the heliostats had been installed for the "solar thermal plus photovoltaic" power generation project in Aksai Kazakh autonomous county, Jiuquan, Northwest China's Gansu province.

Sitting on the western edge of the Hexi Corridor and the northern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the area is rich in solar energy resources yet remains ecologically fragile.

The contractor is actively exploring ways of ecological restoration, trying to build a multi-in-one cyclic development model involving new energy power generation and desert control.

The project was developed by East China Electric Power Design Institute Co of China Engineering Consulting Group. The total installed capacity is 750MW, including 110MW for solar thermal power generation and 640MW for photovoltaic power generation.

Once entering into operation, the project will save 507,000 tons of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.47 million tons, equivalent to planting 80,000 hectares of trees.