Using Existing Infrastructure to Realize Low-Cost and Flexible Photovoltaic Power Generation in Areas with High-Power Demand in China

This study develops a new concept involving using the existing infrastructure for photovoltaic (PV) generation to reduce the costs associated with increased land use and to avoid curtailment due to the mismatch between power supply and demand. We establish a method to estimate the technological potential and economic performance of the PV systems deployed in coal-fired power plants in China. The potential capacity of the examined 1,082 units in China reaches 4 GWe, which is equivalent to 32% of China's newly installed distributed PV capacity in 2019. A total of 87% of PV systems achieve plant-side grid parity compared with desulfurized coal benchmark electricity prices. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that investigates the use of rooftops and coal storage sheds in power plants to facilitate low-cost, flexible PV power generation, thus opening a new channel for future PV generation development.