In a significant leap for industrial energy efficiency, the world's first commercial-scale demonstration of supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) waste heat power generation has officially gone fully online in the Chinese mainland.
The project, known as "Carbon One," is located at the Shougang Shuicheng steel plant in Liupanshui City, Guizhou Province. According to reports from Science and Technology Daily, the facility reached full capacity this past Saturday, May 30, 2026, following the successful grid connection of its second unit.
A Milestone in Green Engineering
Developed through a collaboration between the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) Nuclear Power Institute, Jigang International, and Shougang Shuicheng, the plant now boasts a combined capacity of 30 megawatts. This is distributed across two 15 MW units, making it the most advanced sCO2 power facility currently in existence.
The path to full operation began on December 20, 2025, when the first unit entered commercial operation. Over the past five months, the CNNC reported that the unit has operated with remarkable stability, with all performance indicators meeting or exceeding the original design specifications. The successful commissioning of the second unit further proves that this cutting-edge technology is commercially viable for large-scale industrial application.
How the Technology Works
Unlike traditional steam turbines that rely on water vapor, sCO2 power cycles utilize carbon dioxide in a "supercritical" state. In this state, the fluid exhibits properties of both a liquid and a gas, allowing for significantly higher thermal efficiency. For heavy industries like steelmaking, this is a game-changer; instead of releasing massive amounts of exhaust heat into the atmosphere, the plant captures and repurposes that energy to generate electricity.
The expertise used to build "Carbon One" was adapted from advanced research into next-generation nuclear reactors, where supercritical CO2 has long been studied as a potential working fluid. By bridging the gap between nuclear research and industrial application, the project provides a scalable blueprint for reducing the carbon footprint of heavy industry across Asia and the globe.
Reference(s):
World's 1st supercritical CO₂ waste heat plant fully online in China
cgtn.com
