The Badanmu Industrial Park relies entirely on new energy for electricity, and the "Desert No.1" project in Xinjiang has been put into operation
In the midsummer season, Kashgar, Xinjiang has a fragrant aroma of fruits and melons, and it is also the time with the most abundant sunshine. In the Badanmu Industrial Park in Arel Township, Shache County, the Xinjiang Multi Energy Complementary Green Energy Storage Integrated Application Demonstration Project "Desert No.1" has been put into operation. It uses solar energy to generate electricity every day and converts some of it into storable hydrogen energy, which can generate electricity even in the absence of sunlight. Recent data shows that "Desert One" generates 200-300 kilowatt hours of electricity per day, which can meet all the electricity needs of the Badanmu Industrial Park, such as office lighting and nut drying.
It is understood that the project led by the Shanghai Academy of Sciences has promotion and application value in the northwest, southwest and other regions of China, which helps to solve the problem of "abandoned light" and enable more photovoltaic power generation to be used for the production and daily life of local residents.
Converting photovoltaic power generation into hydrogen energy storage
Mao Huohua, Deputy Director of the Technology Research and Development Center of the Shanghai Academy of Sciences, introduced that this project originates from the demand put forward by the Shanghai Municipal Front Command for Supporting Xinjiang: to utilize Xinjiang's rich photovoltaic resources, carry out the research and application demonstration of multi energy complementary and green hydrogen storage and utilization integrated systems, break through the adaptability and feasibility of related technologies under special resources and conditions in Xinjiang, verify the technical and economic feasibility in multiple scenarios, and achieve Shanghai's energy technology assistance to Xinjiang.
After understanding this demand, the Shanghai Academy of Sciences leveraged its overall advantage and began organizing integrated research teams from aerospace energy, aerospace hydrogen energy, aerospace power, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Hydrogen Science Center, and other units since the beginning of last year to promote the implementation of the "Desert One" project.
Xinjiang is rich in solar energy, but this energy source is unstable. To store and stabilize its output, hydrogen can be produced by electrolysis of water, converting photovoltaic power into hydrogen energy suitable for storage. After multiple meetings and discussions, the integrated research team has completed the design plan for "Desert One". This project mainly includes six systems, including photovoltaic, energy storage, hydrogen production, hydrogen storage, fuel cell, and gas electric control. During the peak period of photovoltaic power generation, it can use excess electricity to produce hydrogen through electrolysis and solid-state hydrogen storage; During the peak period of photovoltaic power generation, the stored hydrogen energy is converted into electrical energy through fuel cells for use in the Badanmu Industrial Park.
This integrated innovation project involves multiple fields such as solar power generation, backup lithium battery energy storage, electrolysis of water for hydrogen production, hydrogen storage, and fuel cells. It requires resource integration, functional aggregation, and system integration. It requires the development of new technologies, as well as concept validation, engineering design, and trial operation in various application scenarios.
Therefore, under the guidance of the Municipal Science and Technology Work Party Committee and the Municipal Science and Technology Commission, the Shanghai Academy of Sciences has adopted a "two line, two general" organizational management model. "Two lines" refer to the administrative line and the technical line, while "Two Generals" refer to the overall commander and chief engineer. The administrative line is commanded by Qin Wenbo, Secretary of the Party Committee and President of the Shanghai Academy of Sciences, responsible for resource support, progress monitoring, and task scheduling; The technical team hired Professor Yuan Xiao from East China University of Science and Technology as the chief engineer, responsible for specific research and development tasks; The technical leaders of each subsystem serve as chief engineers. The Shanghai Academy of Sciences has also established the Chief Engineer's Office, the Overall Department, and the Project Office to collaborate on research and development.
Can be promoted and applied in areas such as northwest, southwest, etc
Under this organizational management model, the "Desert One" project initially progressed smoothly. However, the COVID-19 that broke out in Shanghai and Xinjiang last year stalled the process. In order to ensure timely delivery of the project, the project team adjusted the work plan and organized online discussions and reviews of the overall technical scheme and various subsystem technical schemes. They also communicated with the Shanghai counterpart support Xinjiang Work Front Command, Shache Branch Command, and user units, and confirmed all design work, contract details, and implementation methods on site in Xinjiang in advance, ensuring that the development work of each subsystem was launched synchronously.
Last summer, Shanghai experienced continuous high temperature days. Due to the large size of Desert One, the research team could only debug the equipment outdoors. They braved the scorching heat, relying on air conditioners during the day and working overtime to sleep in tents at night, racing against time to snatch back the time delayed by the epidemic.
"At the end of last year, some of my colleagues and I went to Kashgar to meet the deadline. We overcame difficulties and used container trucks to transport each subsystem successfully developed in Shanghai to the industrial park, completing system assembly and equipment debugging." Mao Huohua recalled that the temperature of the Shache reached minus 20 degrees Celsius at that time. They were wearing thick cotton clothes and dragging the weak body of "Yangkang" while working outdoors, working together with local staff to ensure the timely completion of the "Desert No.1" project. In March of this year, this project passed the expert acceptance organized by the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission.
The relevant person in charge of the Shanghai Academy of Sciences stated that this is a typical integrated application project. The Shanghai Academy of Sciences fully utilizes the functions of its research headquarters, organizes units and teams in various advantageous fields through the institutional advantage of "concentrating efforts to accomplish major tasks", forms a scientific coordination and collaborative research organization paradigm, and strengthens its scientific and technological research capabilities and strategic scientific and technological strength.
As a demonstration project, "Desert-1" has promotion and application value in areas such as northwest and southwest China. It can utilize local photovoltaic resources to provide stable power supply for the park and effectively address the problem of waste of light resources. At present, the Shanghai Academy of Sciences is in contact with units in Gansu, Yunnan and other regions to strive for the construction of integrated application projects for multi energy complementary green energy storage and utilization in the local area, contributing Shanghai's scientific and technological strength to China's achievement of carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals.
