Panda Green Energy announced on Friday that it will develop a gigawatt-scale demonstration project covering PV solar, thermal solar, energy storage, and hydrogen production in the northwest desert province of Xinjiang. The minimum scale will be 1 GW, with at least 500 MW in the first phase, at a cost of around $1.4 billion. The company has signed a memorandum of co-operation with the local government, the People’s Government of Manas County. Manas County lies 100 kilometers west Urumqi, the state capital of Xinjiang. The agreement grants Panda Green exclusive rights to the project, and the county will assist with securing project management rights, land leases, and tax incentives. The final scale of the project will depend on local land…