China’s First Intelligent Solar-Tidal Photovoltaic Power Plant Fully Operational

On May 30, China’s first intelligent power plant utilizing solar and tidal power to generate electricity, Wenling photovoltaic power plant of Longyuan Power under China Energy, was connected to the power grid at full capacity. It creates a new model for coordinated photovoltaic and tidal power generation and marks a new breakthrough made by China in integrated utilization of marine energy resources and multidimensional development of new energy.

A panoramic view of the solar-tidal photovoltaic power plant.

Leveraging drone patrolling, AI diagnosis system and digital platform big data analysis, the power plant conducts remote monitoring and diagnosis of photovoltaic power generation equipment. It can identify potential malfunctions in advance, with an industry-leading precaution accuracy above 85 percent. The power plant has achieved a shift from “passive” to “active” equipment maintenance and operation, bringing tangible economic benefits.

The intelligent centralized control room of the power plant.

Within two decades after it was put into operation, the power plant is expected to generate 100 million kWh of electricity each year with an annual average operation time of 1,092 hours, meeting the demand of about 30,000 urban households. Compared to a coal-fired power plant with the same capacity, it can save 31,654 tons of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 84,479 tons each year. The project will make great contributions to optimizing the energy structure and promoting green, low-carbon development in the region, and realizing the national goals of “peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060”.