Located in the Alxa region of Inner Mongolia, this project leverages one of China’s most abundant solar resources. Alxa receives over 3,200 hours of sunshine annually, with vast open desert land, making it ideal for large-scale solar development. However, its extreme climate—hot summers, cold winters, and frequent dust storms—poses significant challenges for energy infrastructure.
The 360 MWh energy storage system addresses the mismatch between solar generation and local load demand. During peak sunlight hours, surplus electricity is stored and later discharged during evenings or periods of low solar output. This not only reduces curtailment but also provides grid services such as frequency regulation, peak shaving, and voltage support, which are crucial in a region where transmission capacity to distant load centers is limited.
What makes Alxa unique is the combination of scale, environmental adaptation, and long-duration storage. The battery containers and cooling systems are specially designed to withstand extreme temperature swings and sand intrusion, ensuring reliable operation year-round. This project demonstrates how utility-scale solar + storage can thrive in harsh desert environments, maximizing renewable energy utilization while enhancing regional grid stability.
