Discharging during peak hours and charging during low hours - this energy storage system, known as a "power bank", is constantly expanding its application scope. The "China New Energy Storage Development Report (2025)" recently released by the National Energy Administration shows that by the end of 2024, 73.76 million kilowatts/168 billion kilowatt hours of new energy storage have been built and put into operation nationwide, accounting for over 40% of the world's total installed capacity. China's new energy storage scale has jumped to the world's top. To build energy storage and "store green electricity" in Shannan, Xizang, at the mountain pass of Jiawa Village, Qusong County, in an optical energy storage power station, several rows of white energy storage devices emit low sounds from time to time. This is an energy storage device built to support photovoltaic power generation. The electricity generated by the power station during the day is temporarily stored here and sent out at night when there is a high demand for electricity to avoid power waste, "said Cui Guangze, General Manager of Huaneng Yajiang New Energy Branch. In Hainan Prefecture, Qinghai Province, a 150000 kW/600000 kWh energy storage project was successfully connected to the grid and achieved full power operation in August last year. This is the world's highest and largest high-voltage direct mounted energy storage system project, with a single unit capacity of 25000 kW/100000 kWh, which can independently accept grid regulation. This system does not require a power frequency transformer, increasing system efficiency by 4% to 6% and achieving fast response within 10 milliseconds. Building energy storage and "storing green electricity" is an active choice for China to vigorously develop renewable energy and focus on building a new type of power system. The supply of renewable energy sources such as wind and light derived from nature is uncertain. Whenever there is extreme heat without wind or late peak without light, new energy generation will face the problem of unstable output. Building a new type of energy storage is like equipping it with a "power bank" and a "dispatch station". When the sun is scorching and wind power is fully generated, it can "store" the green electricity that cannot be used up. When there is no wind or light or peak electricity consumption, it can "discharge and replenish energy" in a timely manner, allowing thousands of households to keep their lights on and factories to operate continuously. Data shows that by the end of 2024, the installed capacity of new energy storage in China reached 73.76 million kilowatts, accounting for over 40% of the global total installed capacity, with an average annual growth rate of over 130%. Since the 14th Five Year Plan, the scale has increased 20 times. As of the end of June this year, the installed capacity of new energy storage in China has reached 94.91 million kilowatts/222 million kilowatt hours, an increase of about 29% compared to the end of 2024. Among them, the installed capacity of Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang exceeds 10 million kilowatts, while the installed capacity of Shandong, Jiangsu, and Ningxia exceeds 5 million kilowatts. How can the scale of new energy storage achieve rapid growth? This is closely related to clear policy guidance. Reviewing the Energy Law, 'Promoting the High Quality Development of New Energy Storage' is listed among them; The development of new energy storage "was first included in this year's government work report, clarifying that the functional positioning of new energy storage is to play its regulatory role in the new power system. In addition, multiple policy documents such as the Action Plan for Accelerating the Construction of a New Power System (2024-2027) and the Guiding Opinions on Supporting the Innovative Development of New Business Entities in the Power Sector continue to promote the improvement of the power market mechanism and guide it to achieve scientific development. At present, the application effect of new energy storage is gradually emerging, and the utilization of new energy storage in 2024 will significantly increase compared to 2023. The average annual equivalent utilization hours in many provinces such as Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Chongqing, and Xinjiang will reach more than 1000 hours, becoming an important means to promote the development and consumption of new energy. During the peak summer season, the new type of energy storage fully utilizes the 'super power bank' function, contributing a key force to ensuring power supply during peak hours. ”Bian Guangqi, Deputy Director of the Energy Conservation and Technology Equipment Department of the National Energy Administration, said. The "Application Generation, Demonstration Generation, and Pre research Generation" Anhui Suzhou, the largest "coal-fired power+molten salt" energy storage project in China, recently completed 168 hours of trial operation and officially put into operation - this is the first (set) gigawatt hour coal-fired power molten salt storage and heat exchange complete equipment and control system in China, and also the first batch of green and low-carbon advanced technology demonstration projects in the country. The introduction of molten salt thermal storage technology is like adding an external 'thermal storage treasure' to traditional cogeneration units. ”Introduction by the person in charge of Suzhou Power Plant of National Energy Group Anhui Company. When the peak pressure of the unit is low, steam can be used to heat the molten salt and store the heat in the "thermal storage treasure"; During peak and off peak periods of electricity consumption, utilize the "thermal storage treasure" to provide external heating, support the unit to fully participate in peak shaving, and achieve peak shaving at full capacity or peak shaving during off peak periods. Storing heat during idle hours and supplying heat during busy hours "enhances the flexibility of unit regulation and solves the problem of difficulty in balancing heating and power supply for coal-fired power units. This is a microcosm of the continuous innovation and application of projects in the energy storage industry. The report shows that the implementation of various types of technology routes in the energy storage field is accelerating. By the end of 2024, lithium-ion battery energy storage will dominate various new energy storage technology routes. At the same time, new progress has been made in various energy storage technology innovations. The level of lithium-ion battery energy storage technology continues to improve; Transition of various new energy storage technologies towards commercial application; A batch of new energy storage technologies are accelerating demonstration applications. Through constantly updating technological innovation achievements, we can glimpse the hierarchical development ecology of China's new energy storage, which includes "application generation, demonstration generation, and pre research generation". Bian Guangqi introduced that last year, the National Energy Administration released 56 new energy storage pilot projects, covering more than ten technological routes. Among them, multiple pilot projects are the first engineering applications in China, presenting a diversified development trend and effectively promoting breakthroughs in key technologies and equipment for new energy storage. At the same time, 12 new energy storage projects were selected as the supporting projects for the fourth batch of major technological equipment in the energy field, providing application scenarios for the landing and transformation of the first major technological equipment. Currently, China's technological innovation in new energy storage has shifted from a single breakthrough to a systematic layout, providing full cycle technical support for the construction of new power systems. ”According to Rao Hong, Chief Scientist of Southern Power Grid Corporation, for example, the dominant technology of lithium-ion batteries has achieved intergenerational transition, rapidly iterating in battery body, thermal management, system grid connection technology, and other aspects; Engineering breakthroughs have been achieved in compressed air energy storage, flow battery energy storage, flywheel energy storage, etc., laying the technical foundation for the long-term regulation capability required for high proportion new energy power systems; A number of cutting-edge disruptive technologies such as semi-solid state batteries, all solid state batteries, and hydrogen energy storage technology are accelerating their development to meet the demands of future new power systems for multi time scale, high safety performance storage, and extreme environmental adaptability. Through large-scale application and demonstration project construction and operation, the feasibility and economy of different technologies have been verified, further promoting the iteration and upgrading of new technologies, and achieving the healthy development of multiple technological routes. ”Rao Hong said. The emergence of new energy storage technologies is inseparable from a continuously sound industry standard system. It is reported that in 2024, more than 20 electrochemical energy storage standards will be released and implemented, and multiple standards will be approved, covering multiple aspects such as planning and design, grid connection, operation control, maintenance and testing, and post evaluation. The construction level of China's new energy storage standard system will be further improved. With the rapid development of new energy, new energy storage is actively playing a role in peak shaving and power supply guarantee in the power system, as the application scenarios continue to expand. Since the beginning of summer this year, the maximum power load in China has repeatedly broken records, with 36 times breaking the historical records of 16 provincial-level power grids. The centralized transfer test of new energy storage for summer organized by the National Power Dispatching and Control Center has effectively verified and played a role in the peak power supply capacity of new energy storage. As of the end of July, the maximum adjustable power of the new energy storage in the State Grid operating area reached 64.23 GW, and the real-time maximum discharge power reached 44.53 GW, an increase of 55.7% compared to the peak of the same period last year. During the trial period, the peak capacity demonstrated by the new energy storage system was equivalent to the capacity of nearly three Three Gorges hydropower stations, with an average peak duration of about 2.4 hours during the summer evening rush hour, providing strong support for electricity supply during peak periods. The construction of new energy storage requires capital investment, and participating in power supply regulation also incurs corresponding costs. How to calculate the account of input and output? Li Zhen, Deputy Secretary General of Zhongguancun Energy Storage Industry Technology Alliance, introduced that currently, new energy storage is gradually evolving into an independent entity participating in the auxiliary service market, spot market, and medium - to long-term market. The Basic Rules for the Operation of the Electricity Market, promulgated in 2024, officially establish energy storage as a new type of operating entity and grant it the right to participate fairly in electricity market transactions, "said Li Zhen. That is to say, energy storage enterprises participating in electricity market regulation can obtain corresponding benefits based on the relevant electricity quantity. This provides clear and stable market participation expectations for energy storage enterprises, laying a solid institutional foundation for industrial scale and commercial development. Taking the operating areas of State Grid Corporation of China as an example, according to Meng Qingqiang, Chief Engineer of State Grid Corporation of China and Chairman of State Grid Electric Power Engineering Research Institute Co., Ltd., State Grid Corporation of China has taken the lead in building a new market-oriented mechanism for energy storage, supporting 22 provinces (regions) to introduce market rules, and exploring capacity compensation mechanisms in Shandong, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, and Hebei; Jiangsu establishes a comprehensive income model of "electricity market price difference+peak subsidy+auxiliary services"; Gansu Province implements an independent energy storage bidding compensation mechanism; Hubei implements a priority clearing mechanism for the spot market. In 2024, the new energy storage trading capacity in the State Grid operating zone reached 7.12 billion kilowatt hours, a year-on-year increase of 2.7 times. However, although the current electricity market reform is accelerating, the problem of uneven development between regions is prominent, and there are significant differences in the degree of openness to new energy storage in different regions. For example, in regions where continuous operation of the spot market has been achieved, independent energy storage has generally entered the spot market; In non spot market regions, there are still a considerable number of energy storage projects that are difficult to obtain electricity revenue through participation in the medium and long-term market. For further improving the market mechanism for new energy storage participation, the Report also specifies relevant requirements: to study and improve the price mechanism of regulatory resources, including new energy storage, and reasonably guide investment in new energy storage. Scientifically evaluate the investment substitution benefits of new energy storage transmission and transformation facilities, and encourage the promotion of grid substitution energy storage in restricted or remote areas of distribution network expansion. We will further expand the application scenarios of new energy storage, improve the level of scheduling and utilization, accelerate the improvement of market mechanisms, and promote the high-quality development of the new energy storage industry. ”Bian Guangqi said. (New Society)