Chinese Nuclear Institute Connects World's First Commercial Supercritical CO₂ Generator to Grid
- MM24 News Desk
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
China National Nuclear Corporation's Nuclear Power Institute has connected the world's first commercial supercritical carbon dioxide power generator to the grid in Guizhou province, achieving a 50% efficiency improvement over steam technology.
The breakthrough system uses CO₂ instead of steam to convert waste heat from steel production into electricity and could transform next-generation nuclear reactors and spacecraft power systems.
In a clean energy breakthrough that could reshape power generation from industrial plants to spacecraft, Chinese researchers have successfully connected the world's first commercial supercritical carbon dioxide power generator to the electrical grid.
The revolutionary system, developed by the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) through its Nuclear Power Institute of China, represents the first practical application of technology that could make everything from steel mills to nuclear reactors dramatically more efficient and compact.
The announcement came via a social media post from the Nuclear Power Institute of China on November 10, revealing that the generator had begun producing electricity from waste heat at the state-owned Shougang Shuicheng Steel plant in Liupanshui city, located in China's southwestern Guizhou province.
What makes this installation truly revolutionary isn't just where it's operating, but how it's operating—using carbon dioxide in a supercritical state instead of traditional steam to convert heat into electricity with unprecedented efficiency.
The numbers behind this technological leap are impressive. The two 15-megawatt power units are expected to be 50 per cent more efficient at capturing and using waste heat from steel production compared to existing steam power technology, according to the institute's announcement.
This dramatic efficiency improvement comes from the unique physical properties of supercritical carbon dioxide, which exists at temperatures and pressures where it behaves simultaneously like both a gas and a liquid. This strange state of matter enables more efficient heat transfer and power conversion than conventional steam systems.
Professor Li Xiaowei, a thermal energy systems expert at Tsinghua University who wasn't involved in the project but has followed its development, explained why this matters for global energy systems.
"Traditional thermal plants using the Rankine cycle with steam typically max out at about 40 per cent efficiency even with high-temperature heat sources. Supercritical CO₂ systems can surpass 50 per cent efficiency while being substantially smaller and more flexible. This isn't an incremental improvement—it's a fundamental shift in how we convert heat to electricity."
The project represents the culmination of more than a decade of research and development by the Nuclear Power Institute of China, which achieved stable, full-power supercritical carbon dioxide power generation in laboratory conditions back in 2019.
Construction on the current commercial units began in October 2023, moving the technology from the lab to real-world application in just over a year. These units, capable of powering approximately 30,000 US households, now demonstrate the commercial viability of technology previously confined to research papers and experimental setups.
The implications extend far beyond cleaning up steel production. Supercritical CO₂ systems are denser than steam systems, meaning they can generate the same amount of power with significantly smaller turbines and components. This compactness makes them ideal for applications where space is at a premium—including naval vessels, spacecraft, and mobile nuclear power sources.
The technology could enable next-generation nuclear reactors that are both more efficient and substantially smaller than current designs, potentially revolutionizing how we power everything from remote communities to space missions.
The international race to develop this technology has been accelerating, reported the South China Morning Post. In the United States, the Supercritical Transformational Electric Power (Step) Demo pilot plant—led by GTI Energy and funded by the US Department of Energy—represents America's major push into this space.
Their 10-megawatt electrical pilot plant in San Antonio, Texas completed its first phase of testing in September 2023, generating 4 MWe of grid-synchronized power while operating at 500 degrees Celsius. The project aims to eventually reach the full 10-MWe mark at a temperature of 715 degrees Celsius.
What sets the Chinese achievement apart is its commercial deployment in an actual industrial setting rather than as a demonstration project. Located at a working steel plant, the system captures waste heat from sintering processes that reach temperatures over 700 degrees Celsius (1,292 degrees Fahrenheit)—heat that would otherwise be wasted to the atmosphere. By converting this previously lost energy into usable electricity, the technology simultaneously reduces industrial energy costs and carbon emissions.
The partnership between the Nuclear Power Institute of China and Jigang International Engineering and Technology has proven crucial in bridging the gap between laboratory research and industrial application.
Their successful collaboration suggests that future deployments could occur more rapidly across various heavy industries where high-temperature waste heat is currently an untapped resource.
As the world struggles to balance energy demands with climate commitments, supercritical CO₂ technology offers a rare win-win: higher efficiency means both lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions. For energy-intensive industries like steel production—which accounts for approximately 7-9% of global carbon emissions—this technology could significantly reduce environmental impact while improving bottom lines.
The successful grid connection in Guizhou represents just the beginning for this transformative technology. With the foundation now laid for commercial supercritical CO₂ power generation, the Nuclear Power Institute of China expects this project to pave the way for future units across various industrial applications. As the technology matures and scales, it could fundamentally change how we think about heat, power, and efficiency across multiple sectors of the global economy.
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