International Recognition! Cosin Solar Chairman Jin Jianxiang Honored with IEC 1906 Award

Recently, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) announced the 2026 list of recipients for the "IEC 1906 Award." Jin Jianxiang, Chairman and Chief Scientist of Cosin Solar Technology Co., Ltd. (Cosin Solar), has been awarded this prestigious honor in recognition of his long-standing dedication and outstanding contributions to the international standardization of solar thermal power generation. This accolade underscores the rising global influence of Chinese experts in the field of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP).

Established in 2004 by the IEC Executive Committee to mark the founding of the IEC in 1906, the 1906 Award is presented to recognize global technical experts who have made exceptional contributions to IEC’s international electrotechnical standardization work. It ranks alongside the IEC Lord Kelvin Award and the IEC Thomas Edison Award as one of the three most prestigious awards within the IEC. Nominations are submitted by senior experts from various Technical Committees (TCs and SCs) and the IEC Conformity Assessment Systems. Candidates undergo rigorous review, appraisal and confirmation by the IEC Central Office, making this one of IEC’s most distinguished individual distinctions. Since its inception more than 20 years ago, fewer than 300 experts from China have received the distinction. 

01. Leading the Formulation of International Standards to Fill Global Gaps in CSP Technology

As a Registered Expert for IEC TC 117 (Solar Thermal Electric Plants) and Vice Chairman of China’s National Technical Committee for Solar Thermal Power Generation Standardization, Jin Jianxiang has long been at the forefront of international standardization efforts in the CSP sector. Having served as the convener for multiple IEC international standard projects, he has led Cosin Solar in spearheading or contributing to the development of nine IEC international standards in total, systematically building and refining the global CSP standard system to provide robust support for the standardized and high-quality development of the industry.

Notably, the international standard IEC 62862-4-2, "Solar thermal electric plants – Part 4-2: Heliostat field control system for tower solar thermal power plants," led and developed by Jin Jianxiang, was officially published on January 12, 2026. During the multi-national joint review and voting process, the standard’s final draft passed with unanimous approval, becoming the world's first product standard for the heliostat field control system of tower CSP plants.

The heliostat field control system is the core system of a tower CSP plant, directly determining the concentration accuracy, operational stability, and overall power generation efficiency of the plant. This standard specifies key technical requirements and testing methods for the overall system architecture, data acquisition, field control, safety protection, and communication of heliostat field control systems. It provides an authoritative international basis for the design, verification, and performance optimization of tower CSP plant control systems, filling a significant gap in international technical standards for this field and providing critical guidance for high-quality construction of CSP plants worldwide.

02. Forty Years of Dedication to Scientific Innovation, Setting Industry Benchmarks with Continuous Innovation

With over 40 years of experience in the fields of automation and new energy, Jin Jianxiang boasts a solid theoretical grounding, profound research expertise and extensive practical experience in engineering and industrialization. He has long focused on cutting-edge technologies and their industrialization in areas such as solar thermal power generation, molten salt energy storage technology, industrial automation, and intelligent instruments and meters. He has led and successfully delivered more than ten key national R&D projects, including major projects under the National High-Tech Research and Development Program (863 Program). He is a two-time recipient of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award (Second Class), a one-time recipient of the State Technological Invention Award (Second Class), and has won seven provincial/ministerial First Class prizes for Scientific and Technological Progress and Technological Invention. Through solid technological innovation, he has driven the technological iteration and industrial upgrading of automation control and solar thermal power generation.

In 2010, Jin Jianxiang led his team into China’s CSP industry at a time when the sector was still largely undeveloped. Over the following sixteen years, they focused on the independent R&D and industrialization of core CSP technologies. During the early stages of the industry's development, China's tower CSP technology system was not yet mature. In particular, key technologies including large-scale heliostat field control were heavily dependent on imported technical solutions, and the industry lacked a comprehensive technical standard and engineering implementation system, creating numerous bottlenecks for industrial development.

Under Jin Jianxiang's leadership, Cosin Solar started from small-scale R&D in Hangzhou and pushed forward to implement engineering practices in the Gobi Desert of Qinghai, continuously achieving milestone results in China's CSP industry. These achievements range from the design and construction of China's first commercial CSP plant—the Qinghai Delingha 10MW CSP plant that delivered the country’s landmark "from-zero-to-one" breakthrough in domestic CSP—through to the successful commissioning of the Qinghai Delingha 50MW tower molten salt CSP plant, one of China's first batch of CSP demonstration projects. This 50MW plant became the world's first tower molten salt CSP plant to generate actual electricity exceeding its design value. It has not only passed international authoritative third-party technical certification but also won the SolarPACES 2025 Technology Application Award, establishing itself as a benchmark case in the global CSP industry.

Driven by sustained R&D investment and iterative technological innovation, Cosin Solar has systematically overcome a series of key technical challenges, including high-precision concentration control, safe and efficient heat collection in high-temperature receivers, and large-capacity molten salt energy storage and peak regulation. This has enabled Cosin Solar to achieve full independent mastery of the core technologies for tower molten salt CSP plants, with overall technology performance reaching internationally leading level. The company has filed a total of 477 patents (including 330 invention patents), accumulating invaluable engineering practice experience and technological achievements for the large-scale and standardized development of the industry.

To meet the industry's growing demand for cost reduction, quality improvement, and efficiency gains in the large-scale deployment of CSP, Cosin Solar has taken the lead in tackling large-capacity, high-parameter, cost-effective, and intelligent CSP technologies, and has initiated the construction of the Golmud 350MW tower molten salt CSP plant—the world's largest single-unit project—providing a demonstration model for the large-scale development of the CSP industry in China and globally.

Jin Jianxiang's receipt of the IEC 1906 Award is not only a profound recognition of his decades of dedication to CSP standardization, persistent technological innovation, and commitment to overcoming industry challenges, but also a significant marker of China's CSP standardization research gaining global authoritative recognition. It fully demonstrates China's prominent voice, influence, and core competitiveness in the realm of global CSP standard-setting.

Against the backdrop of the global energy transition, under the leadership of Jin Jianxiang, Cosin Solar will continue to intensify its investments in core technology R&D and international standardization efforts. The company is committed to participating more deeply in the global CSP standard system construction, bringing China's proprietary technologies and industry standards to the international stage. By leveraging its strong technological strength and standardization achievements, Cosin Solar aims to empower the global CSP industrial upgrade and contribute Chinese corporate strength and industry insights to the global green energy transition and the delivery of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals.