On March 18, 2025, the State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) announced the 21st batch of centralized bidding for energy storage systems. This initiative aims to procure a total of 5GWh of energy storage system equipment, which includes 4GWh of centralized technology and 1GWh of string technology. The objective is to meet the requirements for renewable energy support and shared energy storage.
This bidding process follows the large-scale energy storage procurement in 2024 and represents another significant step by SPIC in the development of new power systems.
1. Project Scale and Technical Requirements
- Total Capacity: The energy storage system has a total capacity of 5GWh (including supporting and shared energy storage), divided into centralized (4GWh) and string (1GWh) categories.
- Application Scenarios: The systems are designed to support energy storage durations of 2 hours (0.5C rate) and 4 hours (0.25C rate), accommodating the energy transfer and peak shaving needs of photovoltaic and wind energy sites.
- Technical Standards: The systems will utilize a 1500V DC energy storage system design and include core components such as lithium iron phosphate batteries, bidirectional converters (PCS), battery management systems (BMS), and energy management systems (EMS). They must also meet requirements for grid automation and fire safety inspections.
2. Key Technologies and Performance Indicators
- Charge and Discharge Capacity: The battery system must support continuous charge and discharge conditions at 0.25C/0.5C. Bidders are required to provide complete solutions for cell grouping, thermal management, and fire safety systems.
- Grid Connection Capability: The systems should support primary frequency modulation, reactive power support, and Automatic Generation Control (AGC), and be prepared to participate in auxiliary services as per grid dispatch.
- Compatibility: The systems must be adaptable to a 35kV grid connection voltage level and design adjustments can be made based on project requirements.
3. Bidders’ Qualification Criteria
- Research and Production Capability: Bidders must have independent research and production capabilities for five core components: battery cells, modules, PCS, BMS, and EMS, and must provide third-party testing reports.
- Performance Requirements: Over the past three years (from 2022 to present), bidders must have supplied no less than 8GWh of energy storage systems domestically, which must include at least five grid-connected projects with individual capacities exceeding 200MWh using lithium iron phosphate technology.
- Equipment Certification: Core equipment must pass type testing by authoritative institutions such as CMA and CNAS to ensure compliance with national standards.
This procurement initiative is a crucial measure by SPIC in response to the national “dual carbon” strategy, aimed at promoting cost reduction and efficiency enhancement in energy storage technology through large-scale procurement. It is noteworthy that this bidding explicitly distinguishes between the application scenarios for centralized and string energy storage, reflecting the current trend of diversified development in energy storage technology. Centralized systems are suited for large-scale wind and solar power integration, while string systems excel in flexibility, making them better suited for frequency modulation needs in complex grid environments.
