China Built A Supercritical CO₂ Generator. That Doesn’t Mean It Will Last. - CleanTechnica

China has recently commissioned a supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO₂) power generator, named Chaotan One, at a steel plant in Guizhou province. This system is designed to recover industrial waste heat and convert it into electricity, with each unit rated at about 15 MW and combined configurations around 30 MW. The technology claims efficiency improvements of 20% to over 30% compared to conventional steam-based waste heat recovery systems, marking a potentially significant advancement in thermal power generation. The sCO₂ cycle uses carbon dioxide above its critical temperature and pressure, where it exhibits unique properties that allow for more compact and efficient turbomachinery. However, the article urges caution in interpreting this deployment as a definitive breakthrough. While China often pioneers new technologies due to its capacity to experiment and learn through trial and error, many such first-of-a-kind projects do not necessarily prove durable, economically viable, or scalable. The article highlights that China’s limited deployment of other advanced technologies—such as small modular nuclear