Industry Analysis

New Installations Surge Over 120% YoY — February Analysis of China’s New Energy Storage Projects

New Installations Surge Over 120% YoY — February Analysis of China’s New Energy Storage Projects

In February 2026, China’s new energy storage market sustained its rapid growth momentum, with newly installed capacity increasing by over 120% year-on-year (YoY). Meanwhile, the application structure of the market has undergone adjustments compared with the same period last year.

2.1GW+7.75GWh! China Power Construction Group Signed One of the Largest Solar-Plus-Storage Projects in the UAE

Recently, China Power Construction Group officially signed the EPC  contract for the  2.1GW + 7.75GWh RTC solar-plus-storage project in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), with a contract value of approximately RMB 13.962 billion. As one of the largest integrated solar-plus-storage projects in the Middle East and even the world, the signing of the contract marks the project’s transition into the full  implementation phase, which is projected to be delivered in 2027.

DOE now requires energy storage for large-scale renewable energy projects

To improve national grid stability, the Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a new directive requiring all large-scale renewable energy projects to integrate energy storage systems (ESS).

Jinko ESS SunTera 5MWh Passes Stringent Large-Scale Fire Test, Validating Safety Boundaries

Jinko ESS SunTera 5MWh Passes Stringent Large-Scale Fire Test, Validating Safety Boundaries

Jinko ESS, a global leading energy storage solution provider and a subsidiary of Jinko Solar Co., Ltd., recently announced the successful completion of a large-scale fire test for SunTera 5MWh Liquid-Cooling Energy Storage System. Conducted at a specialized testing facility in Suzhou City, Anhui Province, the test followed the CSA C800 standard and the November 2025 draft of UL 9540A and was witnessed on-site by CSA Group representatives and North American fire protection engineers.

Sharp Pullback! User-Side Energy Storage Additions in January Down 58% Year-on-Year

Sharp Pullback! User-Side Energy Storage Additions in January Down 58% Year-on-Year

In January 2026, China’s user-side new energy storage market recorded a year-on-year decline of more than 50% in newly added capacity. The pace of project filings slowed while quality improved, and market deployment shifted toward larger single projects and more capital-intensive investments.

10.9 GWh! Newly Added New-Type Energy Storage Capacity in January Doubled Year-on-Year

10.9 GWh! Newly Added New-Type Energy Storage Capacity in January Doubled Year-on-Year

China’s new-type energy storage market witnessed a strong start in January 2026. Newly commissioned capacity in January increased by over 60% year-on-year, while the market’s underlying structure showed notable adjustments compared with the same period last year.

Major Breakthrough Achieved in the R&D of the World’s First and Most Powerful Single-Unit Compressed Air Energy Storage Compressor

Major Breakthrough Achieved in the R&D of the World’s First and Most Powerful Single-Unit Compressed Air Energy Storage Compressor

Recently, China has achieved a major breakthrough in the research and development of compressed air energy storage(CAES) technology . Developed jointly by the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences(IET, CAS) and ZHONG-CHU-GUO-NENG(BEIJING)TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD., the world’s first CAES compressor with the largest single unit power has successfully passed the third-party testing accredited by CNAS. According to the test results, the compressor achieved maximum discharge pressure of 10.1MPa, a maximum power output of 101MW and an operating range of 38.7% to 118.4% under variable conditions and an efficiency of 88.1% at maximum discharge pressure, reaching an internationally leading level.

Key Energy Storage Standards to Watch in 2026 Highly Recommended for Industry Reference

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China’s energy storage technology mix witnessed noticeable changes where pumped hydro storage accounted for less than 40% for the first time while the new-type energy storage represented by lithium batteries saw explosive growth.

500MWh!BYD Energy Storage Has Commissioned Its Largest Energy Storage Project in East Europe

500MWh!BYD Energy Storage Has Commissioned Its Largest Energy Storage Project in East Europe

On January 8, 2026, a 500MWh standalone Battery Energy Storage System(BESS) project located at Maritsa East 3 in Bulgaria was officially commissioned. The project was the jointly developed by BYD Energy Storage and ContourGlobal under their strategic collaboration which is one of the largest standalone energy storage projects in East Europe.

Annual Power Cost Savings Exceed RMB 60 Million ! Great Power’s 107MW/428MWh Hydropower-based Aluminium User-side Energy Storage Project is Commissioned

Annual Power Cost Savings Exceed RMB 60 Million ! Great Power’s 107MW/428MWh Hydropower-based Aluminium User-side Energy Storage Project is Commissioned

On January 16th, a 107.12MW/428.48MWh green hydropower-based aluminium user-side energy storage project jointly developed by Great Power and Henan Zhongfu Industry was officially commissioned in Guangyuan, Sichuan Province.

RMB 180 Billion! China Southern Power Grid Hit a New High for Investment in 2026

Expanding effective investment is a key lever for stabilizing growth and improving people’s livelihoods. According to China Southern Power Grid, the company has embarked RMB 180 billion for fixed-asset investment in 2026, marking a record high for fifth consecutive year, with an annual growth rate of 9.5%. Investment will be directed primarily toward the development of a new-type power system, the growth of strategic emerging industries and the enhancement of high-quality power supply services, providing solid support for a strong start to the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

100MW/200MWh! Sineng Electric Supports Commissioning of Phase I of Nanlang Energy Storage Power Station

100MW/200MWh! Sineng Electric Supports Commissioning of Phase I of Nanlang Energy Storage Power Station

The Phase I 100MW/200MWh Nanlang energy storage power station, supplied by Sineng Electric, has now been successfully commissioned and put into operation. As the first large-scale standalone energy storage project on the grid side to be completed and commissioned in Zhongshan, China, the facility not only injects enhanced flexibility into the regional power grid, but establishes efficient and reliable revenue mechanism through an innovative frequency regulation service model.

500MW/200MWh! JD Energy’s First GWh-Level Project Successfully Grid-Connected

500MW/200MWh! JD Energy’s First GWh-Level Project Successfully Grid-Connected

In December 2025, the 500MW/2000MWh energy storage project was successfully grid-connected in Dengkou, Inner Mongolia. The energy storage station, standing proudly under the winter sun, is the first GWh-level project delivered by JD Energy. It not only set a new record for the scale of a single project but marked a significant milestone in the company’s development with its outstanding construction achievements.

Sungrow’s First Energy Storage Plant in the Middle East Launched,with an Annual Capacity of 10 GWh

Sungrow’s First Energy Storage Plant in the Middle East Launched,with an Annual Capacity of 10 GWh

Egypt has taken a major step toward accelerating its clean energy transition, as Chinese energy storage leader Sungrow and Norwegian renewable developer Scatec partner with the Egyptian government to deliver large-scale solar+storage projects and establish the Middle East’s first battery energy storage manufacturing base, with a planned annual capacity of 10 GWh.

4.8 GWh Installed: Beijing KeRui Supports the Grid Connection of Two Major Grid-Side Energy Storage Projects in Inner Mongolia, Chi

4.8 GWh Installed: Beijing KeRui Supports the Grid Connection of Two Major Grid-Side Energy Storage Projects in Inner Mongolia, Chi

In December 2025, two large-scale grid-side independent energy storage projects supported by Beijing KeRui were successfully connected to the grid in Inner Mongolia and put into operation: the 500 MW / 2,000 MWh Gushanliang project in Ordos and the 400 MW / 2,400 MWh Bu’erhantu project in Baotou.

China Mingyang Longyuan’s First 100MW/400MWh High-Voltage Cascade Independent Energy Storage Project Achieves Full-Capacity Grid Connection

China Mingyang Longyuan’s First 100MW/400MWh High-Voltage Cascade Independent Energy Storage Project Achieves Full-Capacity Grid Connection

Mingyang Longyuan has built a major milestone in China’s energy storage sector with the successful full-capacity grid connection of its first 100MW/400MWh high-voltage cascade independent energy storage project in Ordos, Inner Mongolia. The project’s commissioning highlights the company’s technological strength in large-scale, high-efficiency, and highly reliable energy storage solutions, while reinforcing the critical role of advanced storage systems in supporting grid stability and renewable energy integration.

Google Acquires U.S. Energy Storage Giant for $4.75 Billion

As the global tech giants engage in a frenzied race for AI computing power, a more fundamental battle over “energy supply” is unveiling. Google’s multi-billion dollar power play procured not just an energy storage company but the the “electricity passport” towards the AI-driven future.

 

I. Blockbuster Acquisition: Acquisition of U.S. Energy Storage Giant for $4.75 Billion


On December 22, Alphabet, Google's parent company, announced that it will acquire Intersect Power, a leading U.S. battery energy storage system developer and operator, for $4.75 billion in cash plus the assumption of debt. 

 

What to watch:

Targeted Assets: The acquisition does not cover the already operational assets but targets its future clean energy power generation projects, data center and energy storage system, totaling 10GWh.

 

Strategic intention: directly circumvent the crowded traditional grid and build an exclusive “power generation + energy storage” closed loop for AI data center.

 

The Alphabet CEO said: “ Intersect will help us synchronize the creation of power generation and energy storage system so as to match the added data center load and reshape energy solutions of AI data center.

 

II. Urgency: The high energy consumption “black hole” of AI data center

 

It is the tremendous energy pressure alongside generative AI behind the acquisition.

 

Surge in electricity consumption: the electricity demand is estimated to grow manyfold of data center hubs including State of Texas and California in 2030.

 

Stringent Reliability requirement: The AI data center requires 99.999% power supply reliability, which is hard to satisfy for traditional grid.

 

Solutions: Battery Energy Storage System emerges as the key infrastructure to balance the intermittency of renewable energy and achieve 24/7 uninterrupted power supply.

 

III. Ecological Synergy: Tesla makes an indirect play and broaden the collaboration zone

 

It is noteworthy that Intersect and Tesla are long-term collaboration partners. Google’s move means Tesla will step into the collaboration zone.

 

Current collaboration: Many operational energy storage projects of Intersect have employed the Megapack energy storage system of Tesla (like the Oberon 1 GWh project of California)

 

A huge order: Intersect also signed the 15.3GWh supply contract with Tesla, becoming one of the world’s largest purchasers and operators of this model of energy storage equipment.

 

IV. Chinese Companies: A head start in the Global data center energy storage arena

In fact, China’s top-tier energy storage companies have identified the opportunities early on, actively expanding their presence in the global “data center + energy storage” sector:

 

Companies like SUNGROW, SHUANGDENG, HUAWEI, KWLONG, ZTT, NARADA, HTHIUM, ROBESTEC, Potis Edge, Ampace, CLOU, Hopewind, CHNT, KSTAR, Vertiv, DELTA, EATON, VISION, SINEXCEL, JST(JINPAN TECHNOLOGY), TONGFEI, Envicool, Goaland, Shenling, HAIWU and so on has played their respective roles engaging in data center energy construction.

 

The market demonstrates that China’s supply chain ranging from power sources, battery to management system is becoming an important power to underpin the global AI data center energy transformation.

 

V. Industry Barometer: the summit forum focuses on “data center + energy storage” future

 

Google’s acquisition does not stand alone and it points to a global trend: energy storage combined with data center has become the central arena where global technology and energy industry converge.

 

This trend will be fully represented in the upcoming industry grand.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Register now to attend Asia's Largest Energy Storage Trade Show for free:

What: The 14th Energy Storage International Conference & Expo

When: Conferences: March 31 - April 2, 2026

Exhibitions: April 1-3, 2026

Where: CIECC Beijing, China

Address: No. 55 Yudong road, Shunyi District, Beijing China


 

New Installations Down 67% YoY: Analysis of China's User-Side New Energy Storage Projects in November

Source: CNESA


In November 2025, newly installed user-side new energy storage capacity in China recorded a year-on-year decline of over 65%.

Compared with October, the market structure showed notable adjustments:

Commercial and industrial (C&I) energy storage accounted for nearly 90%, while long-duration energy storage technologies accelerated deployment.

East China contributed more than half of newly commissioned capacity, with Fujian leading in installed capacity.

Although filing activity in traditional user-side markets (Zhejiang, Guangdong, Jiangsu) declined compared with the same period last year, overall demand remained higher year-on-year. Emerging markets such as Anhui, Henan, and Sichuan are becoming new growth engines driving the national user-side energy storage market.

 

Analysis of User-Side New Energy Storage Projects in November

In November, newly installed user-side capacity reached 185.27 MW / 555.83 MWh, representing -67% / -57% year-on-year, and -5% / +16% month-on-month. User-side new energy storage projects exhibited the following characteristics:

(1) Installed Capacity by Application

In November, the user-side energy storage market continued to be dominated by C&I applications, accounting for nearly 90% of total installations. Newly installed C&I capacity reached 163.9 MW / 541.3 MWh, -68% / -58% year-on-year, and -9% / +15% month-on-month.

The largest data center user-side energy storage project in Zhejiang was officially commissioned. Rapid development of AI data centers (AIDC) and intelligent computing centers is driving growth in user-side energy storage demand.

From a technology perspective, all newly commissioned projects adopted electrochemical energy storage technologies. Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries accounted for over 99% of installed power capacity. In terms of long-duration storage, one 8-hour, 202 MWh lithium-based C&I energy storage project and one 8-hour, 2 MWh all-vanadium redox flow battery project were completed and put into operation.

Figure 1: Application Distribution of Newly Commissioned User-Side New Energy Storage Projects in November 2025 (MW%)

Data Source: CNESA DataLink Global Energy Storage Database

https://www.esresearch.com.cn/

Note: “C&I” includes industrial facilities, industrial parks, and commercial buildings. “Others” include mining areas, oilfields, remote regions, and municipal institutions, etc.

(2) Regional Distribution of User-Side Energy Storage

By region, newly commissioned projects were mainly distributed across 11 provinces, including Fujian, Guangdong, Hebei, Anhui, and Zhejiang. East China led the market in November, accounting for 52% of newly installed capacity and 39% of total projects, ranking first nationwide in both installed scale and number of commissioned projects.

At the provincial level, Fujian recorded the largest share of newly installed power capacity, exceeding 25%, while Hebei led in newly installed energy capacity, accounting for 40%. Guangdong had the highest number of newly commissioned projects, representing over 18%, ranking first nationwide.

Fujian hosts a high concentration of energy-intensive industries such as steel and chemicals, where demand for peak shaving, valley filling, and backup power is strong. In addition, diversified application scenarios - including integrated PV-storage-charging systems and virtual power plant aggregation - are being increasingly developed, leaving substantial growth potential for the user-side energy storage market.

From an industrial and supply chain perspective, Fujian is home to the country's largest lithium battery R&D and manufacturing base, with lithium battery production capacity ranking among the national leaders. Driven by leading energy storage companies, a complete local supply chain has been established for core components such as cells, PCS, BMS, and EMS, effectively reducing overall system costs. Moreover, Fujian supports energy storage project financing through green credit and industrial funds, covering multiple project types including pumped hydro storage and new energy storage.

Figure 2: Provincial Distribution of Newly Operating User-Side New Energy Storage Projects in China, November 2025

Data Source: CNESA DataLink Global Energy Storage Database

https://www.esresearch.com.cn/

(3) Filed User-Side Energy Storage Projects

Based on project filings, national user-side market demand in November exceeded the level of the same period last year, with differentiated regional adjustments. Nationwide, both the total scale and number of newly filed user-side projects in November were higher year-on-year, up 8% and 5%, respectively. However, filing activity in traditional markets - Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Jiangsu - declined compared with last year.

Across these three provinces, a total of 497 new projects were filed, down 47% year-on-year, while energy capacity declined 7% year-on-year.

Guangdong recorded the highest number of newly filed projects, but project count fell 25% year-on-year, and scale declined 73%.

Zhejiang saw the largest drop in project count, down 65% year-on-year, with scale decreasing 34%.

Jiangsu recorded a 48% year-on-year decline in project count, but project scale increased 6%.

In November, Jiangsu ranked first nationwide in newly filed project scale. The average project size was approximately twice that of the same period last year, indicating a shift in user-side energy storage development from small-scale, distributed projects toward large-scale, centralized investments in high-quality application scenarios.

Meanwhile, Anhui, Henan, and Sichuan collectively added 440 newly filed projects, up 89% year-on-year and 47% month-on-month, accounting for about 38% of the national total, 5 percentage points higher than in October. Emerging user-side markets represented by Anhui, Henan, and Sichuan are rapidly releasing growth potential and are expected to become new engines driving nationwide user-side energy storage market growth.

Figure 3: Monthly Distribution of Newly Filed Energy Storage Project Scale in Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Jiangsu (January - November 2025)

Data Source: CNESA DataLink Global Energy Storage Database

https://www.esresearch.com.cn/

Overall Analysis of New Energy Storage Projects in November

According to incomplete statistics from CNESA, in November 2025, newly commissioned new energy storage projects in China totaled 3.51 GW / 11.18 GWh, representing -22% / -7% year-on-year, and +81% / +180% month-on-month. While monthly additions continued to decline year-on-year, cumulative newly installed capacity in the first eleven months reached 39.5 GW, up 28% year-on-year. Considering the potential for concentrated grid connections ahead of the “12.30” commissioning deadline, total new installations for the year are expected to exceed last year's level.

Figure 4: Installed Capacity of Newly Operating New Energy Storage Projects in China, January - November 2025

Data Source: CNESA DataLink Global Energy Storage Database

https://www.esresearch.com.cn/

Note: Year-on-year comparisons are based on the same period of the previous year; month-on-month comparisons are based on the immediately preceding statistical period.

The China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA) has consistently adhered to standardized, timely, and comprehensive information collection practices to continuously track developments in energy storage projects. Leveraging its long-term data accumulation and in-depth professional analysis, CNESA regularly publishes objective market analyses on installed energy storage capacity, providing valuable references for industry decision-making. Since June 2025, the monthly energy storage project analysis has been divided into two sections: “Grid&Source-Side Market” and “User-Side Market”. This issue focuses on interpreting the user-side market in November.


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MoM Surge of 90%! Grid&Source-Side Energy Storage Rebounds Sharply in November, with Full-Year Scale Expected to Exceed Last Year

Source: CNESA


After a phase adjustment in China's new-type energy storage market in October 2025, the commissioning scale of new-type energy storage in November declined slightly year on year but rebounded markedly month on month. Meanwhile, the market's deeper structure adjusted compared with October:

Market recovery with a positive long-term outlook: Although installed capacity in November declined year on year, the month-on-month increase was significant. Newly added installations in the first 11 months reached nearly 40 GW, up more than 25% year on year, and full-year additions are expected to exceed last year.

Accelerated deployment of independent storage: In November, independent energy storage accounted for over 70%, with month-on-month growth rates exceeding 80% in power capacity and 200% in energy capacity. Inner Mongolia recorded more than 1.1 GW of newly commissioned independent storage, ranking first nationwide in both power and energy capacity.

Rise of local energy groups: Newly added installations by local energy groups reached a 45% share, surpassing for the first time the “Five Major and Six Minor” power generation groups and the “third-party enterprises”, highlighting a further diversification of market investors.

Faster rollout of diversified technologies: Beyond mainstream lithium batteries, technologies such as compressed air, flow batteries, and flywheels are being deployed at an accelerated pace, supporting the industry's long-term development.

 

Overall Analysis of New-Type Energy Storage Projects in November

 

According to incomplete statistics from CNESA, in November 2025 China commissioned a total of 3.51 GW / 11.18 GWh of new-type energy storage projects, representing -22% / -7% year on year and +81% / +180% month on month. While monthly additions continued to decline year on year in November, cumulative additions in the first 11 months reached 39.5 GW, up 28% year on year. Considering potential concentrated grid connections ahead of the “12.30” commissioning deadline, total additions for the year are expected to exceed last year.

Figure 1. Installed Capacity of Newly Commissioned New-Type Energy Storage Projects in China, Jan-Nov 2025

Data source: CNESA DataLink Global Energy Storage Database

https://www.esresearch.com.cn/

Note: Year-on-year (YoY) compares the same period last year; month-on-month (MoM) compares the previous statistical period.

Analysis of Grid&Source-Side New-Type Energy Storage Projects in November

In November, newly added grid&source-side installations totaled 3.32 GW / 10.62 GWh, -15% / -1% year on year and +90% / +202% month on month. 

Key characteristics include:

Newly added Independent storage accounted for 72%, down 6 percentage points from October.

Independent storage additions reached 2.41 GW / 8.19 GWh, -9% / +11% year on year and +82% / +217% month on month, with projects of 100 MW or above accounting for 79% by number.

Power-generation-side additions were 853.3 MW / 2,322.1 MWh, -33% / -31% year on year and +99% / +148% month on month. Renewable-plus-storage projects accounted for 98% of power capacity, covering multiple application scenarios such as UHV DC projects, agrivoltaics, and pastoral-solar hybrid systems.

Figure 2. Application Breakdown of Newly Commissioned Grid&Source-Side Energy Storage Projects in Nov. 2025 (MW%)

Data source: CNESA DataLink Global Energy Storage Database

https://www.esresearch.com.cn/

Note: “Others” include substations, emergency power supply, etc.

Northwest Leads with Over 40% Share; Inner Mongolia Ranks First

In November, the Northwest region accounted for 43% of newly added capacity, ranking first nationwide. Combined additions in the Northwest and Southwest exceeded half of the national total.

By province, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region saw multiple Independent grid-side demonstration projects commissioned - such as those included in the 2025 New-Type Energy Storage Special Action Implementation Project List and the first batch of Independent storage construction projects - totaling over 1.1 GW with an average storage duration of 4 hours, ranking first nationwide in both power and energy capacity. Xinjiang, Gansu, and Ningxia followed closely.

As a key national energy and strategic resource base in China, Inner Mongolia had surpassed 150 GW of installed renewable capacity by the end of October 2025, ranking first nationwide. Wind and solar accounted for over 80% of new installed capacity, further solidifying their dominant role (data source: Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Energy Bureau). From the perspective of consumption, approximately 80% of renewable generation is consumed locally, with around 20% exported. The combined pressure of local consumption and grid stabilization continues to drive demand for new-type energy storage.

Figure 3. Regional Distribution of Newly Commissioned Grid&Source-Side Energy Storage Projects in China, November 2025 (MW%)

Source: CNESA Datalink Global Energy Storage Database

https://www.esresearch.com.cn/

Figure 4. Provincial Distribution of Newly Commissioned Grid&Source-Side Energy Storage Projects in China, November 2025 (MW%)

Source: CNESA Datalink Global Energy Storage Database

https://www.esresearch.com.cn/

Faster Deployment by Local Energy Groups Highlights Investor Diversification

Driven by rising market demand, supportive national policies, diversified technology pathways, and declining costs, the market potential of energy storage is being fully released, with increasing investor diversification.

In November, projects invested in and built by local energy groups such as Xinjiang Energy Group, Xinjiang Zhongyuan Power Group, and Shenergy Group were commissioned in succession. Local energy groups accounted for 45% of newly added power capacity - the highest among all enterprise types - contrasting sharply with September and October, when third-party enterprises and the “Five Major and Six Minor” power generation groups dominated.

Leveraging advantages in policy coordination and approvals, resource integration and location, business linkage and industrial chain synergy, capital strength and decision-making efficiency, and operations, local energy groups have become a key pillar of the new-type energy storage market. Meanwhile, third-party enterprises - such as joint entities involving Conch New Energy and CATL, and Inner Mongolia Zhongdian Energy Storage - maintained a high level of participation, accounting for over 30% of monthly additions. The “Five Major and Six Minor” power generation groups (including China Huaneng, SPIC, and China Huadian) accounted for 22%, down 9 percentage points from October, continuing the decline seen since August.

Figure 5. Owner Distribution of Newly Commissioned Grid&Source-Side Energy Storage Projects in China, November 2025 (MW%)

Data source: CNESA DataLink Global Energy Storage Database

https://www.esresearch.com.cn/

Note: “Third-party enterprises” refer to entities other than large state-owned generation groups, the two grid companies, two construction groups and local energy companies.

Accelerated Deployment of Non-Lithium Technologies

Technologically, newly commissioned grid&source-side projects were dominated by lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, accounting for 91% of power capacity, followed by lead-carbon batteries (6%) and flow batteries (3%).

From a project development perspective, non-lithium technologies such as compressed air energy storage and hybrid systems are accelerating, highlighting a trend toward diversified technology pathways.

In compressed air storage, multiple 300 MW-class projects have completed filings and entered the planning stage; the Golmud 60 MW liquid air energy storage demonstration project and the Yumen 300 MW compressed air energy storage demonstration project have entered commissioning.

For hybrid storage, multiple 100 MW-class demonstration projects have launched or completed tenders, with some under construction or advancing, involving combinations such as lithium + sodium-ion batteries, lithium + flow batteries, lithium + flywheels, and lithium + nickel-metal hydride batteries.

Figure 6. Technology Distribution of Newly Planned and Under-Construction Grid&Source-Side Energy Storage Projects in China, November 2025 (MW%)

Source: CNESA Datalink Global Energy Storage Database

https://www.esresearch.com.cn/

The China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA) has consistently adhered to standardized, timely, and comprehensive information collection practices to continuously track developments in energy storage projects. Leveraging its long-term data accumulation and in-depth professional analysis, CNESA regularly publishes objective market analyses on installed energy storage capacity, providing valuable references for industry decision-making. Since June 2025, the monthly energy storage project analysis has been divided into two sections: “Grid&Source-Side Market” and “User-Side Market”. This issue focuses on interpreting the grid&source-side market in November.


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Register Now to attend, free before Dec 31, 2025.

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Year-End Review 2025 | Chen Haisheng: China's New-Type Energy Storage Installed Capacity Surpasses 100 GW - How to Move from “Scale Expansion” to “High-Quality Development”?

Source: Economic View


Chen Haisheng

Director, Energy Storage Specialized Committee, China Energy Research Society

Chairman, China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA)

Director, Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

According to data from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's nationwide installed capacity of new-type energy storage has exceeded 100 GW, more than 30 times the level at the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period.

 

Driven by Three Forces, the Energy Storage Market Reaches

a New Milestone

This development is the result of the combined effects of multiple key factors, including market demand, technological breakthroughs, and policy support.

First, rigid demand from the energy transition. Driven by China's “dual carbon” goals, installed capacity of renewable energy such as wind and solar has grown rapidly. Due to the intermittency and instability of renewables, their high penetration has significantly increased pressure on grid integration. As a key solution for renewable energy grid connection, energy storage has therefore seen a sharp rise in market demand.

Second, continuous breakthroughs in energy storage technologies. After a long period of accumulation, decisive breakthroughs have been achieved over the past five years. Lithium-ion battery technologies have continued to advance, enabling large-scale production of storage batteries. System performance has improved significantly while costs have continued to decline. At the same time, other technology pathways such as compressed air energy storage and flow batteries are gradually being commercialized, laying a solid foundation for large-scale deployment.

Third, strong support from the policy framework. At the national level, a series of major policies have been introduced to support industry development. These include the Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the Development of New Energy Storage issued by the NDRC and the National Energy Administration, and the Opinions on Improving the Price Governance Mechanism issued by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. By advancing and refining pricing mechanisms and market rules, these policies provide a clearer market environment for energy storage projects. Local governments have also introduced specific market and pricing policies tailored to their development characteristics, greatly stimulating the enthusiasm of market participants.

Based on current trends, the author believes that over the next three to five years, both the pace and scale of development of the new-type energy storage market will continue to increase significantly.

First, demand for energy storage will continue to rise. As renewable energy installations keep expanding, the role of energy storage will become increasingly prominent, driving rapid growth in demand.

Second, policy support will remain strong. A series of national policies have been introduced to promote the development of the energy storage industry. The Action Plan for the Large-Scale Construction of New-Type Energy Storage (2025-2027) proposes that by 2027, China's installed capacity of new-type energy storage will exceed 180 GW, driving approximately RMB 250 billion in direct project investment. This has effectively boosted market expectations. In addition, in September this year, China announced a new round of Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets, clearly stating that by 2035, total installed capacity of wind and solar power will exceed six times the 2020 level, with a target of reaching 3.6 TW. To meet these goals, strong national support for energy storage is expected to continue.

Third, technological progress and cost reductions will continue. With ongoing innovation and scaling-up of energy storage technologies, new technologies and products will continue to emerge, while there remains room for further cost reductions at the system level.

Fourth, business models will gradually mature, with diversified revenue streams including capacity payments, spot market arbitrage, and ancillary services.

Fifth, overseas market demand remains strong. As the share of renewable energy generation continues to increase globally and supportive policies are introduced in many regions, further improvements in the economics of energy storage are expected to drive continued expansion of overseas markets.

According to forecasts by the Zhongguancun Energy Storage Industry Technology Alliance, new-type energy storage will reach the next “100 GW” milestone in 2027-2028, with China's installed capacity reaching 200 GW. Around 2030, China is expected to reach the third “100 GW” milestone, with cumulative installed capacity reaching 300 GW.

 

How to Shift from “Scaled Deployment” to “High-Quality Operation”?

However, to achieve a transition to high-quality operation over the next one to two years, concentrated breakthroughs are still needed in key areas such as market mechanisms, technological optimization, safety risk prevention, and full life-cycle management.

In terms of market mechanisms, it is necessary to gradually improve market and pricing mechanisms for new-type energy storage, promote the business model of “capacity payments + energy arbitrage + ancillary services,” appropriately expand spot price spreads, incorporate new types of ancillary services-such as ramping, inertia, reserves, and black start-into the pricing mechanism, and promote linkage between green power trading and energy storage discharge volumes to realize explicit monetization of environmental attributes.

In terms of safety risk prevention, a solid safety defense must be built from three aspects: monitoring and early warning, protection mechanisms, and standards and regulations. A unified system of safety technical standards should be established rapidly, clearly defining safety indicators for equipment selection, installation and commissioning, operation, and maintenance of energy storage power stations. Research should also be conducted on implementing a battery traceability system to ensure accountability for safety responsibilities.

In terms of technological R&D, first, continued strong development of lithium batteries is needed, with further optimization of the operation and application of existing lithium-based energy storage systems. Second, priority should be given to promoting demonstration and application of long-duration energy storage technologies such as variable-speed pumped storage, compressed air energy storage, and flow batteries. Greater efforts should also be made to advance R&D and validation of new technologies such as solid-state batteries, sodium-ion batteries, and grid-forming energy storage, fostering a development pattern in which multiple storage technologies progress in coordination.

In terms of industrial coordination, efforts should be made to enhance self-sufficiency in key materials. Targeting weak links such as core materials for energy storage cells and key equipment for long-duration storage, breakthroughs should be pursued through industry-university-research innovation consortia. Industrial development order should be standardized by curbing inefficient and repetitive construction through dynamic monitoring of project filings, and guiding capital toward projects with high utilization rates and high safety performance.

To promote the healthy and sustainable development of the industry, the author believes that further policy efforts are needed. First, market-based revenue policies should be improved by further refining energy storage pricing mechanisms, clarifying pricing calculation rules for different regions and application scenarios, expanding revenue channels from ancillary services, and smoothing cost-sharing mechanisms for such services, while continuing to promote business models involving capacity prices, energy prices, and ancillary services.

Second, full-chain safety policies should be strengthened by improving safety standards and regulations, refining safety supervision processes, implementing regular safety inspection systems, and clearly defining safety acceptance standards for all stages of energy storage power stations, from design and construction to operation and maintenance.

Third, research on energy storage pricing should be conducted by promoting cost tracking for major mainstream energy storage technologies, studying cost structures across key segments of energy storage systems, and guiding the industry toward rational assessments of energy storage costs.

Finally, industry self-regulation should be promoted by strengthening dynamic monitoring of data such as energy storage output, continuously paying attention to industry development issues, advancing technological iteration and safety performance upgrades of energy storage products, supporting industry-led self-regulatory initiatives, and guiding the sector toward a virtuous development path that emphasizes safety performance and value creation.


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