Solar and wind energy are renewable sources that provide green electricity; however, they come with notable drawbacks, primarily their unpredictability. For instance, photovoltaic (PV) power plants cannot generate electricity at night, and wind turbines rely on wind, rendering them inactive during calm conditions. This is where energy storage systems play a crucial role, allowing for the accumulation of electricity when supply is abundant, which can then be released when demand arises. Currently, various types of energy storage devices are significantly contributing to the stability of power grids and electricity supply.
Recently, a research and development team from Shenzhen has created China’s first 10-meter liquid-cooled integrated mobile energy storage vehicle, which is currently undergoing a 5000-kilometer road test. This vehicle embarked on its journey from Huizhou, Guangdong, on February 28, passing through provinces like 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 compact energy storage battery packs, each with a storage capacity of approximately 48.23 kilowatt-hours. The total energy storage capacity is around 2000 kilowatt-hours, equivalent to the electricity consumption of an average household for two years.
The mobile energy storage vehicle is also being tested in extreme environments, such as high-altitude, high-temperature, and steep valley areas where electricity is unavailable, with safety being the primary concern for the research team. Additionally, maximizing energy storage within limited space is critical. This 2000-kilowatt-hour energy storage vehicle is the first of its kind in China to utilize liquid cooling technology, which offers a greater energy storage capacity 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 are playing essential roles in areas like Rudong County, known as the “first county for offshore wind power,” where they help with peak shaving and frequency modulation. The winter and summer peaks in electricity usage are particularly critical times for these storage stations. Additionally, a “solar-storage-hydrogen integrated” offshore photovoltaic demonstration project is underway on another tidal flat in Rudong County. This project, the largest of its kind in the country, integrates 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 new energy storage project, utilizing solar energy for charging during the day, discharging at night for hydrogen production, with excess capacity available for grid supply.
In Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, a compressed air energy storage station has been built using abandoned salt caverns, making it the largest of its kind globally. This system operates by using the cavities left behind after salt mining as storage space for compressed air. During periods of low electricity demand, excess energy is converted into pressurized air, which is stored in the salt caverns. When electricity demand peaks, the compressed air is released to generate electricity, effectively balancing power supply and demand through peak shaving and valley filling.
According to data from the National Energy Administration, by the end of 2024, the cumulative installed capacity of newly constructed energy storage projects across the country is expected to reach 73.76 million kilowatts/168 million kilowatt-hours, which is about 20 times the figure at the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan and represents 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 eight other departments, jointly issued the “Action Plan for the High-Quality Development of the New Energy Storage Manufacturing Industry,” which aims to enhance China’s international competitiveness in the entire energy storage manufacturing chain by 2027, strengthen leading enterprises, and significantly improve industrial innovation and comprehensive competitiveness to achieve high-end, intelligent, and green development.
