Renewable energy sources like solar and wind power provide green electricity, but they also have notable drawbacks, primarily their instability. For instance, photovoltaic plants cannot generate power at night, and wind farms are inactive during calm weather. This is where energy storage systems come into play; they can store excess electricity generated during peak production times and release it when needed. Today, various types of energy storage devices are playing a crucial role in ensuring the stable operation of the power grid and electricity supply.
Currently, a research team in Shenzhen is testing China’s first 10-meter liquid-cooled integrated mobile energy storage vehicle, which has embarked on a 5000-kilometer road test. The vehicle left Huizhou, Guangdong on February 28, passing through Fujian and Hubei, and is expected to reach Beijing by April 6. The vehicle’s cargo area measures 9.9 meters in length and 4 meters in height, housing 40 small energy storage battery packs. Each pack has a storage capacity of approximately 48.23 kilowatt-hours, bringing the total storage capacity to 2000 kilowatt-hours, equivalent to the electricity usage of an average household over two years. The mobile storage vehicle is also undergoing tests in harsh environments, such as extreme cold, heat, and steep valleys, where access to electricity is challenging. Ensuring safety is the primary concern for the development team, alongside maximizing energy storage within limited space. This 2000-kilowatt-hour storage vehicle is the first of its kind in China to utilize liquid cooling technology, which allows for greater energy storage compared to traditional air cooling methods.
While large mobile energy storage vehicles are still in the testing phase, fixed energy storage systems have already made their way into various industries. Large-scale energy storage stations in Rudong County, known as the “first county for offshore wind power,” play a significant role in peak shaving and frequency regulation, especially during the high electricity demand seasons in winter and summer. Additionally, a “solar-storage-hydrogen integration” offshore photovoltaic demonstration project is underway on another stretch of tidal flat in Rudong County. This project, which is the largest of its kind in the country, incorporates photovoltaic power generation, energy storage, and hydrogen production. It plans to establish a 400-megawatt offshore photovoltaic power station, a 60-megawatt/120-megawatt-hour electrochemical energy storage station, and a hydrogen production and refueling station. The newly constructed energy storage station will connect directly to the public grid as an independent energy storage project, utilizing solar power for charging during the day and discharging at night for hydrogen production, with any surplus energy fed back into the grid.
In Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, a large-scale compressed air energy storage station has been built using abandoned salt caverns, making it the largest of its kind globally. The principle behind this system involves using the salt caverns created from salt mining as storage for compressed air. During periods of low electricity demand, excess energy is converted into compressed air and stored in these caverns. When electricity demand peaks, the stored compressed air is released to generate electricity, effectively achieving a balance between supply and demand.
According to data from the National Energy Administration, by the end of 2024, the cumulative installed capacity of new energy storage projects in the country is expected to reach 73.76 million kilowatts/168 million kilowatt-hours, approximately 20 times that of the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan, representing a growth of over 130% compared to the end of 2023. In February of this year, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, along with seven other departments, jointly issued the “Action Plan for the High-Quality Development of the New Energy Storage Manufacturing Industry.” This plan aims for China’s new energy storage manufacturing sector to showcase its international competitive advantages by 2027, further strengthening leading enterprises, enhancing innovation and comprehensive competitiveness, and achieving high-end, intelligent, and green development.
