The Jiangsu Provincial Energy Department has announced the successful grid connection of China's first integrated offshore solar project, combining photovoltaic power generation, hydrogen production and refueling, and energy storage.
Source: Jiaohuidian
The Jiangsu Provincial Energy Department has announced the successful grid connection of China's first integrated offshore solar project, combining photovoltaic power generation, hydrogen production and refueling, and energy storage. The project, located in Rudong, Nantong, Jiangsu, is also the largest "photovoltaic-hydrogen-storage integration" offshore solar initiative in the country.
Situated on the tidal flats outside the embankment in Rudong County's Yudong reclamation area, the project involves the construction of an offshore solar power plant with an installed capacity of 400 megawatts (MW) and spanning 4,300 acres. Supporting infrastructure includes a new 220 kV onshore substation, a 60 MW/120 MWh energy storage facility, and a hydrogen production and refueling station with a production capacity of 1,500 standard cubic meters per hour and a refueling capacity of 500 kilograms per day.
Once fully operational, the project is expected to generate around 468 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. This is projected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 309,400 tons, sulfur dioxide by 562.6 tons, and nitrogen oxides by 1,125.3 tons each year compared to an equivalent coal-fired power plant, significantly contributing to the local economy’s green development.
In addition to its renewable energy focus, the project is designed as a key national demonstration for integrating green photovoltaic energy with coastal ecological restoration. As part of this effort, a 4,300-acre program to control the invasive Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass) species is also underway. The solar panels, by providing shade, effectively limit the growth of this invasive species, while the area beneath the panels can be used for marine aquaculture and planting coastal vegetation, further supporting the restoration of the coastal ecosystem.