On April 21, 2025, the CSTA Strategy held its first meeting of the sixth session of chairmen at the Northwest Electric Power Design Institute Co., LTD, of China Power Engineering Consulting Group, the executive vice chairman unit. The meeting was presided over by Wang Zhifeng, chairman of CSTA and researcher at the Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Shi Dong, deputy party secretary, general manager and director of Northwest Electric Power Design Institute Co., LTD, warmly received the participants and delivered a speech. Discussions centered on the development of the CSP industry beyond 2025.
Figure : Members of the Sixth Joint Meeting of Chairmen of CSTA ( ( from left to right : Zhao Xiaohui, Xiao Gang, Kou Jianyu, Liu Luping, Wang Zhifeng, Wang Haoyi, Fan Duojin ) ) )
Wang Zhifeng expressed his enthusiasm and stated that the new council was democratically elected by the CSTA members, with an organizational structure covering policy, industry, and technology. This marks a fresh start for the solar thermal industry. The meeting aimed not only to discuss internal alliance development but also to build consensus for the industry's prosperity through exchange of ideas. The Energy Law clearly supports the active development of CSP, establishing a solid foundation for the industry and giving it significant importance in the national energy strategy. CSP, with its immense potential, is contributing to the safe and stable operation of China's new power system and to the energy transition. The future of CSP is promising, and it is expected to shine brighter in the energy field.
Wang Zhifeng pointed out that in addition to traditional power generation, solar thermal applications are diverse. To enhance the competitiveness of CSP and leverage the CSTA's strategic guidance, the CSTA will initiate key technology research projects aimed at reducing costs. These projects will focus on system integration, key materials, concentrating equipment, heat absorption, storage, and heat exchange equipment, as well as policy research. The CSTA will also strengthen cooperation across the industrial chain, integrate resources, and overcome technical challenges to boost the industry's overall competitiveness. With the joint efforts of CSTA members, CSTA is expected to have a glorious future.
Zhao Xiaohui, Executive Vice Chairman of the CSTA and Deputy Chief Engineer/General Manager of the Science and Technology Innovation Center at Northwest Electric Power Design Institute Co., LTD, of China Power Engineering Consulting Group; Wang Haoyi, Vice Chairman and Director of the Onshore Energy Department at China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute; Liu Luping, Vice Chairman and Chief Engineer at Zhongnan Engineering Corporation Limited; Xiao Gang, Vice Chairman and Professor at Zhejiang University; Fan Duojin, Vice Chairman and General Manager at Lanzhou Dacheng Technologies Co., Ltd.; and Kou Jianyu, Vice Chairman and General Manager at Inner Mongolia Electric Power Survey & Design Institute Co., Ltd. all shared their thoughts on relevant topics. They actively provided suggestions for the Alliance and industry development.
The meeting approved Du Fengli's reappointment as the CSTA secretary, based on Wang Zhifeng's nomination. Discussions also covered the division of labor among the sixth session of chairmen, internal CSTA systems, the 2025 budget, the 2025 China Solar Thermal Power Generation Conference, and the CSTA's key tasks for the next three years.