China breaks ground on world's first supercritical CO2 molten salt power plant
Synopsis
China has broken ground on the world's first utility-scale plant combining supercritical CO2 power generation with molten salt storage — a 50 MW / 400 MWh system at China Huaneng's Bajiao station in Yantai — potentially redefining how coal-heavy grids manage peak demand and energy waste.
Key Takeaways
Construction began last week on the Ruitan demonstration project at China Huaneng 's Bajiao power station in Yantai, Shandong province — the world's first utility-scale supercritical CO2 and molten salt combined energy facility.
The first phase includes a 50 MW supercritical CO2 power unit and a 100 MW / 400 MWh molten salt energy storage system .
During off-peak hours, surplus electricity from existing coal units will heat molten salt; during peak demand, stored heat will drive the supercritical CO2 generator, according to Xinhua .
The project is expected to enter commercial operation in 2027 , providing real-world performance data for this novel hybrid technology.
Supercritical CO2 cycles offer higher thermodynamic efficiency than conventional steam turbines, potentially reducing energy waste across the generation-storage loop.
No comparable utility-scale combined facility exists anywhere else in the world, giving China a first-mover advantage in this energy storage architecture.
China has broken ground on the world's first utility-scale facility combining supercritical carbon dioxide power generation with molten salt energy storage, marking a significant milestone in grid-balancing technology. Construction on the Ruitan demonstration project commenced last week at China Huaneng's Bajiao power station in Yantai, Shandong province, eastern China. The facility is expected to become operational in 2027.
How the hybrid system works
The plant's design addresses one of renewable and coal-heavy grid systems' most persistent challenges: the mismatch between energy supply and demand. During off-peak hours, surplus electricity from the station's existing coal power units will be channelled into heating molten salt, effectively storing energy as thermal mass, according to state news agency Xinhua reporting dated September 16.
When demand spikes, that stored heat is redirected to drive a supercritical unit — one that uses carbon dioxide instead of conventional steam as its working fluid. Supercritical CO2 cycles are known to achieve higher thermodynamic efficiency than steam-based systems, potentially reducing energy waste across the generation-storage loop.
Phase one specifications
The first phase of the Ruitan project will feature a 50-megawatt (MW) supercritical CO2 unit paired with a 100 MW / 400 megawatt-hour (MWh) molten salt energy storage system. This scale positions it firmly in utility territory, moving the technology beyond laboratory or pilot-plant status for the first time globally.
The combination of supercritical CO2 power cycles with large-scale molten salt storage has long been theorised as a pathway to more efficient dispatchable power, but no facility of this kind has previously entered commercial-scale construction anywhere in the world.
Why it matters for grid stability
China's electricity grid faces growing strain as the country simultaneously expands variable renewable capacity — solar and wind — while managing baseload coal infrastructure. Energy storage at the scale demonstrated by the Ruitan project can absorb excess generation and release it on demand, smoothing frequency fluctuations and reducing curtailment of clean energy.
The project is operated under China Huaneng, one of China's five major state-owned power generation conglomerates, lending it institutional weight and a credible pathway to broader replication if the demonstration phase proves successful.
The competitive backdrop
Molten salt storage is not new — it has been deployed in concentrated solar power (CSP) plants globally, including in Spain and the United States. However, coupling it with a supercritical CO2 power block rather than a conventional steam turbine represents a distinct technological leap, one that could improve round-trip efficiency and reduce the footprint of future installations.
Several nations, including the United States and members of the European Union, have invested in supercritical CO2 research programmes, but none has yet commissioned a utility-scale combined project of this type.
What's next
With operations targeted for next year, the energy sector will be watching the Ruitan project's performance data closely. A successful demonstration could accelerate the deployment of similar hybrid systems across China's extensive coal fleet — and potentially influence energy storage procurement decisions in markets worldwide where grid flexibility is at a premium.
Point of View
Bypassing the slower venture-and-pilot cycle that Western counterparts rely on. This mirrors the pattern seen in China's dominance of battery storage and CSP: deploy at scale first, optimise later. The geopolitical implication is significant — if the Ruitan demonstration succeeds, China could export this hybrid plant architecture to Belt and Road partner nations, reshaping energy infrastructure dependencies across the Global South.
NationPress
23 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ruitan demonstration project in China?
The Ruitan demonstration project is the world's first utility-scale facility combining supercritical carbon dioxide power generation with molten salt energy storage. It is being built at China Huaneng 's Bajiao power station in Yantai, Shandong province , and is expected to begin operations in 2027 .
How does supercritical CO2 power generation work with molten salt storage?
During off-peak periods, surplus electricity from existing coal units heats molten salt, storing energy as thermal mass. When demand peaks, that stored heat powers a supercritical unit that uses carbon dioxide — rather than steam — as its working fluid to generate electricity, achieving higher thermodynamic efficiency.
What is the capacity of China's new supercritical CO2 molten salt plant?
The first phase of the Ruitan project will feature a 50 MW supercritical CO2 power unit paired with a 100 MW / 400 MWh molten salt energy storage system , placing it firmly at utility scale.
Why is this plant significant for China's energy grid?
China's grid faces growing strain from expanding variable renewable capacity alongside baseload coal infrastructure. The Ruitan project's storage capability can absorb excess generation and dispatch it on demand, reducing curtailment and improving frequency stability — a critical need as renewables grow.
Has any other country built a supercritical CO2 molten salt plant?
No. While countries including the United States and European Union member states have invested in supercritical CO2 research, none has commissioned a utility-scale combined supercritical CO2 and molten salt storage facility. The Ruitan project in China is the first in the world to reach construction stage at this scale.
