China debuts world-first generator to boost steel plant heat recovery

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) has successfully connected the world’s first commercial supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) power generator to the grid at a steel production plant in Guizhou province. This 15 MW system uses CO2 instead of steam to transfer heat, harnessing high-temperature waste heat (over 1,292°F) from the steel sintering process to generate electricity. The technology is reported to be at least 50% more efficient than traditional steam-based power systems, with efficiencies exceeding 50% compared to the typical 40% of steam plants. Additionally, due to the higher density of supercritical CO2, these generators are more compact and suitable for smaller spaces. The breakthrough has significant implications for clean energy, particularly in nuclear power, where the technology could replace steam turbines and be scaled to utility-level sizes. The compact nature of the system also opens possibilities for use in mobile nuclear reactors, spacecraft, and solar plants. Meanwhile, a similar 10 MW supercritical