By: Elena Rostova
The grid faces a critical gap. Cheap solar powers systems by day. When the sun sets, demand peaks. Batteries can’t fully bridge this gap. China is turning to a once-overlooked solution: Concentrated Solar Power (CSP).
By the end of 2025, China’s installed CSP capacity reached 1.82 million kilowatts. That’s a 107% year-over-year increase, ranking third globally. Over 3 million kilowatts are currently under construction across 30 projects. China leads the world in tower-based CSP technology. Its parabolic trough systems meet advanced international standards. A series of policy documents drives this momentum. The 2025 136 Document pushed renewables to market-based pricing, granting CSP differentiated treatment. The 2026 114 Document introduced capacity compensation for reliable grid support. CSP operators will earn from both electricity sales and peak-period reliability. The December 2025 1645 Document set a national target of 15 million kilowatts by 2030, aiming to match coal’s generation costs. Qinghai Province announced measures in March 2026. It targets 8 million kilowatts of CSP (5 million operational) by 2030, with dedicated pricing and capacity compensation integration.
CSP’s molten-salt storage delivers power long after sunset. As renewable penetration rises, grid flexibility trumps raw generation volume. China is redesigning its electricity market around reliability. CSP’s dual role as generator and storage solves the peak-hour crisis. If policies are implemented as planned, coal’s biggest competitor by 2030 won’t be another intermittent solar tech. It’ll be CSP, which stores energy before the grid even requests it.
Author bio: Elena Rostova, a public policy expert, advises governments and sovereign funds on energy transition frameworks and market reform.