China’s New Solar Push Could Threaten Global Energy Leadership

China is accelerating its development of solar thermal energy, a technology that stores the sun’s heat to generate power even after sunset. The move could reshape the global race for clean energy dominance. Solar thermal plants use mirrors to concentrate sunlight, heating a fluid that drives turbines or is stored in molten salt. Unlike standard solar panels, which stop producing electricity at night, thermal systems can deliver power around the clock. China has already built several large-scale thermal plants and is expanding capacity rapidly. Government support and falling costs are driving the push. The technology remains more expensive than solar panels and wind power. But its ability to provide steady, on-demand electricity makes it a key tool for stabilizing power grids as countries move away from coal. Analysts say China’s scale and speed could lower costs for thermal technology worldwide — and challenge competitors in Europe and the United States.