Shanxi’s Largest Floating Solar Project Goes Online

Shanxi’s largest floating solar project—the Tai Zi Lake Photovoltaic Project developed by Jinnan Iron and Steel Group—has been connected to the grid and has generated over 18 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity in its first 40 days of operation, as of June 9.

Source: China Energy News Network

Shanxi’s largest floating solar project—the Tai Zi Lake Photovoltaic Project developed by Jinnan Iron and Steel Group—has been connected to the grid and has generated over 18 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity in its first 40 days of operation, as of June 9. The project combines aquaculture and renewable energy through a dual-use model: fish farming beneath the water and solar power generation above.

As the largest electricity consumer in Linfen City, Jinnan Iron and Steel has ramped up investment in solar power in recent years to support self-generation and low-carbon development. The Tai Zi Lake project, with an installed capacity of 130 megawatts (MW) and a total investment of RMB 200 million, was initially scheduled to come online in the fourth quarter. However, changes to national grid-connection policies for new energy projects required it to be operational by April 30 to avoid major financial losses.

To meet the deadline, State Grid Linfen Power Supply Company coordinated a rapid response across departments—including marketing, planning, dispatch, metering, and materials. Despite shortages of metering devices and limited calibration time, the team installed 207 meters and calibrated 99 current transformers in just eight days and nights. The effort set a local benchmark known as the “Linfen speed” for solar project grid conections.

The project’s timely completion not only protected the RMB 200 million investment and promoted integrated lake development, but is also expected to generate approximately 200 million kWh annually, saving around RMB 100 million in electricity costs and reducing CO₂ emissions by 157,000 tonnes each year.

Taking advantage of the lake’s abundant water supply, the project employs an automated panel-cleaning system that lowers maintenance costs and improves efficiency. With an expected average daily utilization of 3.5 hours, the project sets a new record for solar productivity in Linfen.

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