China puts world's first commercial supercritical CO₂ generator set into operation
China has achieved another major technological breakthrough: the world's first commercial supercritical carbon‑dioxide (CO₂) power‑generation unit, known as *Super Carbon No. 1*, has officially entered full commercial operation in Liupanshui, Guizhou. This marks the first time supercritical CO₂ power‑generation technology has moved from laboratory research to real industrial deployment.
The project was jointly developed by the China Nuclear Power Research and Design Institute (Chengdu) and Jigang Group. It is the world's first 2x15 MW supercritical CO₂ sintering‑waste‑heat demonstration project. Construction began in October 2023, grid‑connection testing was completed on November 9, 2025, and full commercial operation began on December 20, 2025.
Supercritical CO₂ power generation works by heating and pressurizing liquid CO₂ until it reaches a supercritical state - above 31.1 °C and 7.38 MPa - where it behaves like both a liquid and a gas. In this state, CO₂ has high density, low viscosity, and far better thermal conductivity than steam, making it highly efficient for thermoelectric conversion.
Compared with traditional steam‑based waste‑heat power generation, *Super Carbon No. 1* delivers dramatic improvements. Power‑generation efficiency increases by more than 85%, land‑use requirements are reduced by 50%, and annual electricity output increases by more than 70 million kWh. This translates into roughly ¥30 million (≈$4.2 million USD) in additional yearly revenue. Water consumption is also cut by 50%, easing resource pressure in water‑scarce regions.
The system can also recover 300-600 °C industrial waste heat with high efficiency, enabling energy‑intensive industries such as steel and cement to "turn waste into value." Overall energy‑utilization efficiency can be boosted by up to 84%, offering significant economic and environmental benefits.
The China Nuclear Power Research and Design Institute, founded in 1958 and headquartered in Chengdu, is a major research institution under China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). The institute specializes in nuclear‑power engineering, advanced energy‑conversion technologies, and high‑efficiency thermal‑systems research. Jigang Group, established in 1958 and based in Shandong Province, is one of China's large steel producers and has invested heavily in industrial‑waste‑heat recovery and green‑energy technologies. Their collaboration on the supercritical CO₂ project represents a significant step toward next‑generation clean‑energy solutions.
