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The 6th Energy Storage Safety Forum Successfully Held in Hefei
With the diversification of energy storage technologies, application scenarios are rapidly expanding beyond traditional power systems into emerging fields such as industrial manufacturing, data centers, and zero-carbon parks. However, these emerging applications have much lower tolerance for fire risks, presenting unprecedented challenges to the safe development of the energy storage industry. At this critical stage, the 6th Energy Storage Safety Forum, themed “AI Empowering Energy Storage Risk Management and Control, Safety Building a Sustainable Future”, aimed to build industry consensus, address key safety challenges, and promote the stable and sustainable growth of the energy storage sector.
On July 17, 2026, the 6th Energy Storage Safety Forum was successfully held in Hefei, Anhui Province. The event was organized by the China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA), and co-organized by the National Energy Storage Technology Industry-Education Integration Innovation Platform of Tianjin University, the CNESA Energy Storage Safety Committee, and Gotion High-tech. The forum brought together government officials, industry leaders, academic experts, and research institutions to jointly explore pathways toward safer and more sustainable energy storage development.
The opening ceremony gathered representatives from government authorities, leading research institutions, and enterprises. Attendees included Wang Shijiang, Deputy Director of the Department of Electronic Information of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT); Xu Ziming, Deputy Director of the Electricity Safety Supervision Department of the National Energy Administration (NEA); Jiang Chenyue, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Anhui Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology; Zeng Xiaoming, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Anhui Energy Bureau; Sun Jinhua, Academician of the European Academy of Sciences and Professor at the University of Science and Technology of China; Chen Zhongwei, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Engineering; Chen Haisheng, Director of the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Yang Quanhong, Chair Professor at Tianjin University; Zhuo Ping, Director of the Fourth Research Division of Tianjin Fire Research Institute under the Ministry of Emergency Management; Wang Qisui, Executive President of Gotion High-tech; and Yu Zhenhua, Executive Vice Chairman of CNESA.
The forum also received strong support from organizations and companies including the School of Energy and Power Engineering at Tianjin University, Sungrow, Envision Energy, Honeywell China, Xien Technology, Pengcheng Infinite, Benji Electric, Yangyi Technology, and Huachu Technology. The opening ceremony was hosted by Liu Wei, Secretary General of CNESA.
Opening Remarks: Balancing Energy Storage Safety and Development
In his opening speech, Wang Shijiang stated that energy storage is a key driver for achieving China’s dual-carbon goals. The country’s energy storage industry is currently developing rapidly, with strong momentum. In the first quarter of 2026, China’s energy storage lithium battery output reached 185GWh, representing year-on-year growth of more than 100%. Meanwhile, technological innovation continues to accelerate, with applications expanding across power systems, industrial sectors, and zero-carbon parks.
However, safety risks have become a major bottleneck restricting high-quality industry development. Wang emphasized that MIIT’s Department of Electronic Information will coordinate both development and safety, focusing on four key areas:
Strengthening top-level planning and guiding the industry’s transition from scale expansion toward quality improvement and enhanced safety;
Regulating market competition and fostering a healthy industrial ecosystem;
Establishing a strong safety foundation by accelerating the development of national standards, including safety grading evaluation standards for energy storage batteries;
Enhancing technological innovation to prevent and mitigate safety risks at the source.
He called for deeper collaboration across the industry to jointly promote safe, healthy, and sustainable development of energy storage.
Jiang Chenyue
Deputy Director, Anhui Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology
Jiang Chenyue highlighted Anhui’s strong industrial growth, noting that the province’s industrial output value has increased from RMB 3.8 trillion at the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan period to RMB 5.5 trillion, with its national ranking rising from 12th to 6th place.
In the energy storage sector, Anhui has established a complete industrial chain covering materials, batteries, and systems. Multiple technology routes are developing in parallel, and the industry scale has grown sixfold since the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, surpassing RMB 1 trillion last year. Leading companies such as Gotion High-tech and Sungrow have emerged as globally competitive enterprises, with energy storage battery cells and system shipments ranking among the world’s leading levels.
Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period, Anhui will prioritize new energy storage as a key sector within its “1188” modern industrial system. The province will further integrate industrial development with technological innovation, strengthen market players, accelerate commercialization of new technologies and products, and build an ecosystem integrating government, industry, academia, research, finance, services, and applications.
Chen Haisheng
Chairman of CNESA; Director of the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chen Haisheng stated that 2026 marks a critical year for China’s new energy storage industry as it transitions from large-scale expansion toward high-quality growth.
By the end of June 2026, China’s cumulative installed capacity of energy storage projects reached 237.2GW, representing year-on-year growth of 41.4%. Among this, new energy storage accounted for 168.2GW, exceeding 70% of total capacity. Newly installed capacity reached 21.64GW/58.20GWh, while storage duration continued to increase and technology pathways rapidly evolved.
Despite rapid industry expansion, safety challenges remain the most critical issue facing the sector. Chen emphasized that CNESA will continue strengthening international cooperation, building a global energy storage safety platform, developing comprehensive safety systems, and supporting the global transition toward green and low-carbon energy.
Emerging Insights: Tackling Energy Storage Safety Challenges Across the Entire Value Chain
A clear trend is emerging: energy storage safety innovation is moving beyond battery cell-level protection toward a comprehensive approach integrating battery innovation, system architecture, intelligent operation and maintenance, safety standards, and application scenarios.
Sun Jinhua
Academician of the European Academy of Sciences; Professor, University of Science and Technology of China
In his presentation titled “Fire Risks and Prevention Strategies for Energy Storage in Computing Power and Data Centers,” Sun Jinhua highlighted the rapid growth of electricity demand from artificial intelligence computing and data centers.
Electricity consumption by computing and data centers approached 200 billion kWh in 2025 and is expected to reach 526–700 billion kWh by 2030. With China requiring newly built data centers in national computing hubs to achieve at least 80% renewable electricity consumption, energy storage will become increasingly essential.
However, fire risks remain a major concern. Global energy storage fire probability is estimated at approximately 0.3%–0.4%, while data centers face higher potential losses due to concentrated assets and personnel, requiring much stricter safety standards.
Sun proposed three layers of safety protection:
Improving intrinsic battery safety through interdisciplinary research and AI technologies to reduce thermal runaway probability below 10⁻⁸;
Enhancing process safety through intelligent thermal management materials, fiber-optic in-situ monitoring, and integrated thermal management and early-warning technologies;
Optimizing firefighting solutions through technologies such as liquid nitrogen extinguishing and multiple-stage suppression.
He emphasized the need to develop intelligent safety management platforms integrating remote monitoring, predictive analysis, multi-level warnings, and dynamic response capabilities.
Chen Zhongwei, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Engineering; Researcher and PhD Supervisor at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Chen Zhongwei delivered a keynote speech titled “Building an Intelligent Management System for the Full Life Cycle of Electrochemical Energy Storage.”
He identified five major challenges in the energy storage industry: design, manufacturing, management, operation and maintenance, and electricity market participation. AI-based full life-cycle management provides a key solution.
Since 2015, Chen’s team has focused on integrating electrochemistry and artificial intelligence, achieving breakthroughs in:
Building battery industrial databases covering design, manufacturing, management, and operation;
Developing AI-assisted battery design based on electrochemical simulation;
Creating electrochemistry-AI coupled models for battery health evaluation;
Establishing closed-loop manufacturing optimization through production data and performance feedback;
Applying AI algorithms and robotics for retired battery sorting and second-life utilization;
Developing high-precision algorithms for RUL, SOC, and SOH estimation.
Based on these technologies, the team developed the Energy Storage AI Intelligent Monitoring System, establishing a three-level health diagnosis framework covering cells, battery containers, and entire energy storage stations.
Yang Quanhong
Chair Professor, Tianjin University
Yang Quanhong discussed “Water Management in Intrinsically Safe Aqueous Zinc Batteries: Fundamental Principles and Solutions.”
He emphasized that future energy storage technologies must achieve high safety, low cost, and resource sustainability. Aqueous zinc batteries represent a promising pathway due to their intrinsic safety and resource availability.
However, commercialization faces challenges caused by water-related reactions, including hydrogen evolution, corrosion, dendrite growth, cathode structural degradation, and limited cycle life.
The key solution lies in precise “water management,” including:
Water reaction management;
Water demand management;
Water state management;
Advanced conversion-type cathode technologies.
Zhuo Ping
Director, Fourth Research Division, Tianjin Fire Research Institute, Ministry of Emergency Management
Zhuo Ping introduced China-led international standards research on energy storage fire safety.
She explained that energy storage fire scenarios should consider four major safety objectives:
Life safety;
Property protection;
Environmental protection;
Cultural heritage protection.
Fire scenarios should incorporate different application characteristics, ignition sources, fire types, firefighting systems, and human behaviors.
Zhang Peidao
Solution Director, Energy Storage Business Division, Gotion High-tech
Zhang Peidao shared industrial practices under the theme “Architectural Innovation of Energy Storage Systems in New Power Systems.”
He noted that energy storage faces challenges including efficiency improvement, safety risks, high availability requirements, and life-cycle cost optimization.
Gotion High-tech addresses these challenges through architectural innovation:
The Qianyuan Intelligent Energy Storage 2.0 grid-forming high-voltage cascade storage system directly connects to 6–35kV grids without transformers;
System efficiency exceeds 92%;
AI-based predictive maintenance improves operational efficiency by 50%;
Multi-dimensional sensing and fire protection systems create layered safety protection;
Modular design reduces land occupation by 38%.
The solutions have already been applied in projects including user-side storage in Jinzhai and grid-side storage in Lujiang.
Roundtable Discussion: AI Empowering Energy Storage Safety from Passive Protection to Active Intelligence
The roundtable focused on how AI can transform energy storage safety from passive prevention to proactive intelligence.
Hosted by Wang Qingsong, Researcher at the University of Science and Technology of China and Chairman of the CNESA Energy Storage Safety Committee, the discussion gathered experts from grid operators, equipment manufacturers, industrial software providers, sensor companies, and AI technology companies.
Participants agreed on three major conclusions:
The transition from passive protection to active intelligence is inevitable.
AI will not replace intrinsic battery safety, hardware protection, or human operation, but will serve as an enabling technology connecting sensing, simulation, and decision-making.AI adoption should follow a gradual human-machine collaboration approach.
Challenges remain, including data silos, limited algorithm generalization, incomplete standards, and hardware adaptation issues.Full industrial collaboration is essential.
Energy storage intelligent safety requires cooperation among grid operators, battery manufacturers, research institutions, software companies, and sensor providers.
Launch of the New Intelligent Safety Ecosystem for Energy Storage
During the opening ceremony, Gotion High-tech initiated the establishment of the New Energy Storage Digital Intelligence Safety Ecosystem, bringing together universities, research institutions, and industry leaders.
Representatives from organizations including Beijing University of Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei University of Technology, Gotion High-tech, Siemens Digital Industries Software, iFlytek, Tishen Technology, Inovance Technology, and CNESA participated in the launch ceremony.
Special Forums: Exploring the Future Path of Energy Storage Safety Technologies
Two parallel forums were held in the afternoon:
“Safety of Energy Storage Power Stations and Commercial & Industrial Storage Systems”
This forum focused on:
Implementation of safety standards;
Fire monitoring and early-warning technologies;
Fire risk assessment of large-scale lithium iron phosphate systems;
Immersion cooling technologies;
Full-chain safety solutions for sodium-ion batteries.
“AI and Energy Storage Safety”
This forum explored:
National-level energy storage operation data platforms;
Intelligent operation and maintenance technologies;
Big data platforms for power generation companies;
AI-driven life-cycle management of large-scale energy storage.
The 6th Energy Storage Safety Forum brought together government authorities, industry players, academic experts, and research institutions to explore the future of energy storage safety.
Participants agreed that safety is the foundation for high-quality energy storage development, and AI-driven technologies are accelerating the transformation from passive protection toward proactive intelligent safety management.
Looking ahead, only through collaboration across the entire value chain and continuous strengthening of safety foundations can the energy storage industry achieve sustainable growth and contribute Chinese solutions to the global green energy transition.
Bookmark This! Six Long-Duration Energy Storage Technology Pathways, Three Revenue Models, and Prospects for Large-Scale Deployment
With multiple supportive policies being introduced, long-duration energy storage (LDES) is entering a period of significant growth opportunities!
Recently, the State Council of China issued the “15th Five-Year Plan Carbon Peak Action Plan”, while the National Energy Administration released the “Energy Sector Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction Action Plan (2026–2028)”. Both policy documents explicitly emphasized the development of long-duration energy storage, indicating that LDES is gradually becoming an essential component of the new power system.
Currently, LDES technologies are developing toward greater diversification. Technologies such as compressed air energy storage (CAES), flow batteries, and hydrogen energy storage each demonstrate different advantages and limitations in terms of technology maturity, application scenarios, and construction costs.
This article provides a systematic analysis of LDES from three perspectives: technology development, revenue structures, and prospects for large-scale deployment, offering industry insights and references.
Six Technology Pathways Leading LDES Development for Diverse Applications
Long-duration energy storage technologies are diverse and mainly include:
Physical energy storage technologies, represented by pumped hydro storage, compressed air energy storage, and gravity energy storage;
Electrochemical energy storage technologies, represented by flow batteries and metal-air batteries;
Thermal energy storage (including cooling storage) and chemical energy storage technologies, represented by hydrogen energy storage.
Among them, pumped hydro storage is currently the most mature and widely deployed long-duration energy storage technology.
As of the first quarter of 2026, China’s operational pumped hydro storage capacity had reached 67.09 GW.
At present, pumped hydro storage is primarily based on large-scale fixed-speed pumped hydro power stations. However, as suitable sites for large-scale pumped hydro projects become increasingly limited, the development of small- and medium-scale pumped hydro storage projects is gradually increasing.
Gravity Energy Storage
The operating principle of gravity energy storage is similar to pumped hydro storage. It mainly uses the physical lifting and lowering of solid masses to drive power generation equipment, thereby achieving energy storage and discharge.
Currently, China’s 100 MWh-scale gravity energy storage tower demonstration project has been completed in Rudong, Jiangsu Province, and has entered the grid connection commissioning stage.
The project, invested and developed by China Tianying, has an energy storage capacity of 100 MWh and a power output of 25–26 MW. It is expected to be connected to the grid and begin operation by the end of 2026.
Compressed Air Energy Storage
Compressed air energy storage is another long-duration energy storage technology with significant potential for large-scale application.
The technology converts electricity from off-peak periods or curtailed renewable energy into compressed air pressure energy and thermal energy, storing them separately in air storage units and thermal storage units.
During periods of high electricity demand, the stored high-pressure air is released and expanded through turbines to generate electricity.
Currently, large-scale engineering applications mainly focus on adiabatic compressed air energy storage systems with thermal storage.
According to statistics from the China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA), as of the first quarter of 2026, China had 14 operational compressed air energy storage projects connected to the grid, with a cumulative installed capacity exceeding 1.5 GW.
The total installed capacity of projects under construction and in the planning stage has exceeded 54 GW.
Flow Batteries
Flow batteries are electrochemical batteries in which the active materials of both the positive and negative electrodes are liquid.
Depending on the types of active electrode materials, flow batteries can be categorized into:
Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs);
Zinc-bromine flow batteries;
Iron-chromium flow batteries;
and other technology pathways.
Overall, flow batteries offer advantages including:
high safety;
no risk of explosion or fire;
long service life;
deep charge and discharge capability;
and environmental friendliness.
By the end of 2025, China’s 10 kW-scale vanadium redox flow battery demonstration projects had already entered operation.
Thermal Energy Storage
Thermal energy storage refers to storing energy from sources such as:
solar thermal energy;
geothermal energy;
industrial waste heat;
low-grade waste heat;
and releasing it when needed, thereby addressing mismatches between thermal energy supply and demand caused by differences in time, location, or energy intensity.
Based on storage principles, thermal energy storage technologies can be categorized into three types:
sensible heat storage;
latent heat storage;
thermochemical energy storage.
Currently, relatively mature thermal storage materials include:
hot water;
molten salt;
refractory bricks;
and other thermal storage media.
Hydrogen Energy Storage
Hydrogen energy storage is a form of chemical energy storage that enables:
large-scale energy storage;
long-duration storage;
and cross-regional energy storage.
It mainly consists of three key stages:
hydrogen production;
hydrogen storage and transportation;
hydrogen utilization.
Water electrolysis for hydrogen production is expected to become the dominant future technology pathway.
Hydrogen storage and transportation technologies include:
gaseous hydrogen storage;
liquid hydrogen storage;
solid-state hydrogen storage;
ammonia (alcohol)-based hydrogen storage;
underground hydrogen storage;
and other approaches.
In the power sector, hydrogen energy can generate electricity mainly through:
hydrogen gas turbines;
hydrogen internal combustion engines;
hydrogen fuel cells.
Different LDES Technologies Demonstrate Distinct Competitive Advantages
Different long-duration energy storage technology pathways demonstrate diverse technical characteristics and competitive advantages.
In terms of efficiency, pumped hydro storage and gravity energy storage achieve relatively high efficiency, while molten salt thermal storage and hydrogen energy storage have comparatively lower efficiency.
Regarding service life, physical energy storage technologies such as pumped hydro storage, compressed air energy storage, and gravity energy storage generally offer longer lifetimes.
In terms of safety, most LDES technologies demonstrate high safety levels, except hydrogen energy storage, which requires additional safety considerations.
Regarding environmental adaptability, pumped hydro storage and compressed air energy storage have relatively limited adaptability to certain environmental conditions.
In terms of response speed, flow batteries demonstrate significant advantages.
Lifecycle Cost of Energy Storage Determines Economic Competitiveness
The levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) over the full lifecycle is a key indicator for evaluating the economic performance of energy storage technologies.
According to estimates from the China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA), when the storage duration reaches 8 hours, salt cavern compressed air energy storage and pumped hydro storage currently demonstrate relatively lower lifecycle electricity costs.
With continuous technological advancement and large-scale deployment, the lifecycle costs of emerging long-duration energy storage technologies are expected to continue declining.
According to projections, by 2035, mainstream LDES technologies including:
compressed air energy storage;
pumped hydro storage;
flow batteries;
molten salt thermal storage;
could achieve lifecycle electricity costs of approximately:
RMB 0.3–0.5/kWh
under conditions of 250 annual utilization cycles.
If calculated based on each technology’s inherent lifecycle cycle life, the lifecycle cost of energy storage could decline even further.
Revenue Channels Established, Value of Long-Duration Storage Yet to Be Fully Released
Currently, the development of market mechanisms for long-duration energy storage is accelerating its transition from policy-driven growth toward market-driven development.
The three-part revenue structure of:
“Energy Market + Capacity Market + Ancillary Services Market”
is gradually moving from the stage of framework establishment toward detailed implementation.
Energy Market: The Most Fundamental Revenue Source
The energy market is currently the most fundamental and primary revenue source for long-duration energy storage.
The core business logic is:
“Charge during low-price periods and discharge during high-price periods.”
Compared with 2-hour energy storage systems, the key advantage of LDES lies in its ability to provide:
cross-period energy shifting;
large-scale electricity time-shifting capability;
and flexible short-term operation.
Some technology pathways can also achieve multiple daily cycles, allowing them to capture more price arbitrage opportunities.
In provinces where electricity spot markets are relatively mature, peak-valley price differences have become a major revenue source for energy storage projects.
Taking compressed air energy storage as an example, the first phase of the Jintan Salt Cavern Compressed Air Energy Storage National Demonstration Project in Jiangsu, which began operation in 2024, has an installed capacity of:
60 MW / 300 MWh
The project can achieve:
one charge and two discharge cycles per day;
or multiple charge-discharge operations within a day.
Capacity Market: Providing Long-Term Reliability Value
Unlike the “price arbitrage” mechanism of the energy market, the core logic of the capacity market is the “value of availability” — meaning that energy storage systems commit to remaining available whenever the power grid requires support.
This mechanism is particularly important for long-duration energy storage because:
it requires higher upfront investment costs;
it has a longer payback period;
and it requires stable baseline revenues to improve project bankability.
Currently, the development of capacity markets in China demonstrates a dual-track approach, which is gradually removing market access barriers for long-duration energy storage.
On one hand, the coal-fired power capacity pricing mechanism began nationwide implementation in 2024, providing a stable revenue foundation for the transformation of thermal power generation.
On the other hand, the Notice on Improving the Capacity Electricity Pricing Mechanism for the Generation Side, released in January this year, established for the first time at the national policy level a capacity electricity pricing mechanism for independent new-type energy storage systems on the grid side.
Based on the principle of “equal pay for equal performance,” independent energy storage has officially been incorporated into the generation-side capacity pricing mechanism.
The capacity payment mechanism for independent energy storage has therefore evolved from regional exploration toward a nationwide unified framework.
Ancillary Services Market: Unlocking Additional Value
If the energy market addresses the question of “whether energy storage can generate revenue,” the ancillary services market determines “whether energy storage can generate additional value.”
Currently, power ancillary service markets mainly include three categories:
frequency regulation;
peak shaving;
backup reserve.
In regions where electricity spot markets operate on a regular basis, peak-shaving ancillary services have gradually been replaced by spot energy markets, with their original functions being absorbed by electricity trading mechanisms.
Meanwhile, some provinces have begun pilot programs for new ancillary services, including:ramping support;
inertia support;
and other grid flexibility services.
Long-duration energy storage can provide:long-cycle energy shifting;
backup reserve capability;
and some technology pathways can also provide physical inertia, effectively supporting grid stability requirements.
However, although the three-part revenue structure appears relatively complete, the current market mechanism still mainly focuses on the question of “whether energy storage exists”, without further distinguishing “how long energy storage can provide service.”
The differentiated advantages of LDES — including:cross-time energy shifting;
large capacity;
high reliability;
have not yet been fully translated into market revenues.
This remains the most significant challenge in current market mechanism development and represents a key area requiring further breakthroughs.
Technology and Market Mechanisms Advancing Together to Support Demonstration Deployment
At the recently held Energy Storage International Conference and Expo (ESIE2026), Ma Yuan, Assistant Researcher at the Department of Earth System Science of Tsinghua University, stated that by 2030, energy storage capacity should account for 15%–20% of total renewable energy installed capacity, reaching a key milestone of approximately 400 GW.
Among this capacity, long-duration energy storage with durations exceeding 8 hours should account for at least 20% in order to effectively reduce renewable energy curtailment and ensure power system security.
According to forecasts from the China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA), during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, demand for long-duration energy storage will gradually become more prominent.
New LDES demand during this period will mainly focus on storage durations of:
4–10 hours
Under a conservative scenario, the market scale is expected to reach:
180 GW
while under an optimistic scenario, it could reach:
250 GW
Pumped hydro storage will remain the dominant technology, complemented by emerging LDES technologies such as:compressed air energy storage;
electrochemical energy storage.
However, this scale still falls short of the requirements of power grid companies.
In some northwestern provinces with high renewable energy penetration, demand for 24-hour-plus long-duration energy storage is expected to emerge first.
By 2035, the scale of long-duration energy storage is expected to reach:300 GW under a conservative scenario;
400 GW under an optimistic scenario.
Storage durations will mainly range from:
4–24 hours
while the deployment scale of emerging LDES technologies will continue to increase.
Accelerating the Transition from Technology Demonstration to Large-Scale Deployment
To continuously promote the transition of long-duration energy storage from technology demonstration to large-scale commercial application, more projects need to be implemented to transform technological maturity into commercial viability.
1. Coordinated Demonstration of Different Technology Pathways
Currently, emerging LDES projects face challenges including:technologies that are not yet fully mature;
incomplete industrial supply chains;
relatively high investment costs.
As a result, commercial applications remain dominated by short-duration lithium-ion battery energy storage.
Going forward, demonstration and deployment of LDES technologies should be promoted in an orderly manner based on different stages of technological development.
This approach will accelerate the implementation of emerging technologies while driving industrial technology upgrades and improving market competitiveness.
2. Promote Scenario-Specific Demonstration Projects Based on Local Conditions
Under the new power system framework, different application scenarios have different requirements for long-duration energy storage.
For example:developed cities in eastern China have relatively higher requirements for energy density;
northwestern “desert, Gobi, and barren land” regions;
eastern coastal areas;
and cold regions in northeastern China;
all have different requirements regarding:operating temperature;
humidity resistance;
sand and dust protection;
and environmental adaptability.
Therefore, demonstration projects should be combined with different application environments to deepen research into key technologies including:energy storage equipment;
system integration;
safety protection;
and operational reliability.
3. Strengthen Long-Term Monitoring and Evaluation of Demonstration Projects
Currently, management and evaluation mechanisms for demonstration projects are not yet sufficiently comprehensive.
In the future, long-term tracking, monitoring, and periodic evaluation should be carried out for demonstration projects.
This will provide scientific data support for:the practical application of new technologies;
new products;
and innovative solutions.
It will also provide evidence-based support for national industrial policies and technical standards.
4. Encourage Demonstration Projects to Explore Innovative Policies and Business Models
While demonstrating LDES technologies, pilot projects should also serve as platforms for exploring innovative commercial models.
At the same time, improving policy mechanisms and market support systems will be a critical foundation for large-scale LDES development.
Establishing Cost Recovery Mechanisms for Long-Duration Energy Storage
Compared with short-duration energy storage, LDES demonstrates greater value through:capacity contribution;
long-term backup capability;
and system reliability support.
Therefore, it is necessary to gradually establish market-based capacity cost recovery mechanisms.
Through market competition and pricing mechanisms, investment entities can be encouraged to make reasonable investments, ensuring long-term adequacy of power system capacity.
Improving Cost Allocation Mechanisms for Long-Duration Energy Storage
Long-duration energy storage can directly or indirectly accelerate the replacement of traditional fossil fuel power generation with renewable energy, significantly reducing overall societal carbon emissions.
In the future, policy and market frameworks for:green electricity;
green electricity certificates;
carbon trading;
should be further developed.
These mechanisms can better reflect the value of LDES in:energy transition;
carbon reduction;
and renewable energy integration.
By expanding revenue sources and improving cost allocation mechanisms, the economic foundation for long-duration energy storage can be further strengthened.
Conclusion
Long-duration energy storage is becoming an increasingly important pillar of future power systems as renewable energy deployment accelerates.
With continuous technological innovation, improved market mechanisms, and increasing project deployment, LDES is expected to move from early-stage demonstration toward large-scale commercialization.
The future development of long-duration energy storage will depend not only on breakthroughs in individual technologies, but also on the coordinated evolution of:technology pathways;
market structures;
business models;
and policy frameworks.
Together, these factors will unlock the full value of LDES in supporting renewable energy integration, enhancing grid flexibility, and enabling the global energy transition.
Two Pioneering Figures in China’s Energy Storage Sector Win Top National Science and Technology Honors at the 2025 National Science and Technology Awards
A landmark moment for China’s energy storage industry unfolded at the 2025 China National Science and Technology Awards Ceremony, held in Beijing on July 8, 2026. Two trailblazing scientists who have shaped the trajectory of China’s energy storage technology received the nation’s most prestigious scientific recognitions, marking a historic milestone for domestic long-duration energy storage and lithium-ion battery innovation.
Academician Chen Liquan, a researcher at the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the founding father of China’s lithium battery industry, was honored with the National Highest Science and Technology Award—the country’s supreme honor for scientific and technological contributions. As a pioneer and global leading authority on lithium battery technologies, Academician Chen Liquan laid the foundational framework for China’s lithium-ion battery industrial system, spearheading breakthroughs in basic materials, cell manufacturing and industrialization over decades of research. His lifelong work underpins the rapid growth of China’s electrochemical energy storage, power battery and new energy vehicle sectors, laying irreplaceable technical groundwork for the national dual carbon strategy and energy transition revolution.
Meanwhile, Prof. Chen Haisheng, Chairman of China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA) and researcher at the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, led his research team to claim the Second Prize of the National Technology Invention Award for the landmark achievement Key Technologies for Large-Scale Advanced Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) Systems.
Energy storage stands as a core, indispensable supporting technology for China’s dual carbon goals and national energy revolution. Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) is widely recognized as one of the most promising long-duration bulk energy storage solutions worldwide, featuring large installation scale, low lifecycle cost, ultra-long service life and outstanding operational safety, and has become a strategically competitive technical field across all major economies. Traditional CAES systems have long been restrained by critical bottlenecks including fossil fuel dependency and low round-trip efficiency, severely limiting large-scale commercial rollout globally.
Supported by successive national key research programs including the National Basic Research Program (973), National High-Tech R&D Program (863) and National Key R&D Program, Prof. Chen Haisheng’s team dedicated 20 consecutive years to targeted research and iterative breakthroughs, delivering a full set of systematic original innovations that resolve historic pain points of conventional CAES technology:
1. Proposed the novel "storage-release correspondence & cycle matching" design theory for energy storage systems, and invented an advanced CAES architecture based on a homologous circulation principle;
2. Overcame the synergistic aerodynamic and structural design challenge for multi-stage compressors and expanders, developing ultra-high pressure ratio-compressors and ultra-high expansion ratio expanders with fully independent intellectual property rights;
3. Cracked core technical barriers for supercritical heat/cold storage heat exchangers, inventing high-efficiency compact heat exchange equipment for CAES systems.
The research team has completed the construction of the world’s first series of advanced CAES demonstration facilities covering 1.5MW, 10MW, 100MW and 300MW capacity levels. The round-trip efficiency of the flagship system exceeds 70%, repeatedly setting new global performance benchmarks and firmly establishing China’s world-leading position in advanced compressed air energy storage technology.
To date, the project has secured 162 authorized invention patents (including 9 international patents), ranking No.1 globally in CAES patent holdings and forming a high-value, tightly integrated patent portfolio. The team has published 267 SCI papers, which have accumulated over 13,700 SCI citations, demonstrating profound academic influence in the global energy storage research community. Industrial transformation of the core technologies has generated direct economic benefits exceeding 7 billion RMB, delivering tangible value for the large-scale commercialization of long-duration energy storage.
The National Science and Technology Awards consist of five major categories: the National Highest Science and Technology Award, National Natural Science Award, National Technology Invention Award, National Science and Technology Progress Award, and China International Science and Technology Cooperation Award, representing the highest official recognition of scientific innovation in China.
CNESA extends sincere congratulations to Academician Chen Liquan and Prof. Chen Haisheng’s research team on their extraordinary accomplishments. These top-tier national honors fully validate the core strategic value of energy storage technologies in advancing global low-carbon energy transition, and highlight the strength of sustained independent innovation among China’s energy storage scientific community. As energy storage evolves into a critical backbone of the global net-zero energy system, CNESA will continue to unite industrial, academic and research stakeholders to accelerate technology iteration, industrial standardization and global cooperation, further boosting the high-quality development of China’s energy storage industry and contributing Chinese solutions to worldwide energy transformation.
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.
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.
Amid the accelerating global energy transition and the impact of geopolitical on energy supply, solar-plus-storage systems, as independent and controllable energy solutions, is witnessing an explosive growth in demand. Industry forecasts suggest that large-scale solar-plus-storage projects are being tendered in rapid succession worldwide, with the Middle East emerging as a key engine of market demand, providing significant growth opportunities for the energy storage sector.
Notably, the overseas business of China Power Construction Group has demonstrated strong performance this year. Data indicates a significant increase in the share of overseas operations. According to the company’s operational report of January-February 2026 released on March 12, China Power Construction Group signed RMB 147.893 billion in new contracts during the first two months of the year. Among them, overseas contracts reached RMB 40.888 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 19.92%. Despite broader market pressures, overseas business continued to expand, with its share of newly signed contracts rising from around 21% in the same period last year to approximately 27%.
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
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.
According to foreign media reports, the Egyptian government recently announced that it has signed a series of agreements worth over 1.8 billion USD with Norwegian renewable energy developer Scatec and Chinese energy storage company Sungrow. These agreements aim to build large-scale solar+storage projects and promote local manufacturing of battery energy storage systems. This series of agreements is a key initiative for Egypt to expand its clean energy installed capacity and improve its new energy industry chain.
Scatec will develop the “Energy Valley” project in Minya, which will include the construction of a large-scale integrated solar power and energy storage plant. Meanwhile, Sungrow will build a battery energy storage system manufacturing plant in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) to support energy storage equipment for the project and the regional market.
Both projects are being advanced with the coordination of Egyptian Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy and the Suez Canal Economic Zone Authority. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly stated that these projects highly align with the country’s strategy of localizing new energy industries, and that localizing energy storage and renewable energy manufacturing will be key pillars for enhancing Egypt’s energy security and driving its green transformation.
As part of the project arrangements, the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Scatec, while the New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) has signed a land use agreement for the Energy Valley project. Additionally, Sungrow has secured the land use rights for building the battery energy storage manufacturing plant in the TEDA Industrial Zone in SCZONE.
Furthermore, Scatec and Sungrow Energy have signed a battery supply contract, under which Sungrow Energy will provide the battery energy storage systems for the Energy Valley project in Minya.
According to the introduction, the Energy Valley project is positioned as one of the largest integrated clean energy projects in the world, and the first solar+storage project in the region capable of providing stable power supply around the clock. The project will build a 1.7 GW (AC) solar photovoltaic capacity, along with a total of 4 GWh of battery storage systems, distributed across Minya, Qena, and Alexandria. The project will also build new substations and dedicated transmission lines to provide clean electricity to the Wadi El-Sereiriya Industrial Zone in Minya.
On the manufacturing side, Sungrow Energy’s factory in Egypt will become the first battery energy storage system manufacturing base in the Middle East and Africa. Located in the TEDA-Egypt Industrial Zone in Ain Sokhna, the factory will cover an area of about 50,000 square meters and is expected to create around 150 direct jobs. Once operational, the factory will have an annual capacity of 10 GWh, with production expected to begin in April 2027.
Regarding financing, the Egyptian Prime Minister also witnessed the signing of preliminary financing agreements for the Energy Valley project between Scatec and the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the African Development Bank (AfDB), marking the project’s support from multilateral development financial institutions.
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Sungrow Energy has confirmed its sponsorship of the 14th Energy Storage International Conference and Expo (ESIE 2026), 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
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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Thirtyfold Growth in Five Years! From China to the World, New Energy Storage Unlocks a Trillion-Yuan Market
Source: China Electric Power News
From China to the World
New Energy Storage Unlocks a Trillion-Yuan Market
As the “China International Import Expo 2025” unfolds, a green revolution driving the global energy transition is simultaneously taking shape.
On November 5, as a key session of the 8th Hongqiao International Economic Forum, the Parallel Forum on “Promoting High-Quality Development of New Energy Storage to Accelerate the Global Energy Transition” attracted global attention.
According to information shared at the forum, by the end of September 2025, China’s new energy storage installed capacity had reached 103 GW, over 30 times higher than at the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan, accounting for more than 40% of the global total, ranking first in the world.
As China’s new energy storage industry moves from initial commercialization to large-scale development, what opportunities and challenges lie ahead? And how will the acceleration of the “China Program” reshape the global energy storage ecosystem?
Balancing domestic demand with global expectations, this “Shanghai dialogue” on new energy storage is writing the next chapter of the world’s energy transition story.
China’s New Energy Storage Drives Trillion-Yuan Industrial Investment
New energy storage is a key technology in building a new energy system and a modern power system, and an essential driver of global green transformation. From being written into China’s 2024 Government Work Report to continuous new project commissioning in 2025, the industry’s growth has clearly accelerated.
“By the end of September this year, China’s new energy storage capacity exceeded 100 GW, becoming an integral part of the new power system.”
—— Song Hongkun
Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the NEA
By province, Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang both exceeded 10 GW, ranking first nationwide. By region, North China accounted for 31.18 GW, or 30.4% of the national total. In terms of scale, installations above 100 MW made up over two-thirds, showing a strong trend toward large-scale development.
As installed capacity rises, China’s energy storage dispatch and operational performance continues to improve. NEA data show that during the first three quarters of 2025, average utilization hours reached 770, up by 120 hours year-on-year, with strong performance in provinces such as Yunnan, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu.
During the peak summer months of July and August - when electricity demand repeatedly surpassed 1 trillion kWh - new energy storage played a vital role. In the State Grid operating area, the maximum dispatchable storage power exceeded 64 GW, with real-time discharge peaking at 44 GW, providing robust support for power supply security.
At the industrial level, China’s innovative practices in new energy storage have also driven significant upgrades across the supply chain. By September, lithium-ion batteries remained dominant, accounting for 96.1% (98 GW) of total capacity. Compared with 2022, EPC tender prices fell by 40% and cell prices by 60%, significantly reducing costs and accelerating exports.
In 2024, Chinese-made storage batteries accounted for over 93.5% of global shipments, with the world’s top eight suppliers all from China. Laureano Ortega Murillo, Adviser to the President of Nicaragua, revealed that the country had begun preliminary cooperation with Huawei in energy storage.
“China has become the world’s largest producer and exporter of lithium batteries. High-quality Chinese energy storage products are now exported to the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania, earning widespread recognition from overseas users.”
—— Xiao Lu
Deputy Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce
China is now using its technological innovation and manufacturing strength to provide high-performance products to the world - injecting “Eastern Contribution” into the global energy transition.
Unlocking the Full Value of New Energy Storage
With the rapid integration of renewable energy, balancing electricity supply and maintaining grid stability have become key challenges. Diverse storage technologies are now serving as flexible resources that can handle intraday, inter-day, seasonal, and regional energy transfers.
Since 2024, multiple 300 MW compressed air, 100 MW flow battery, and MW-class flywheel storage projects have entered operation. Several grid-forming energy storage projects have also been implemented, and innovative technologies such as gravity storage and CO2 compression storage are being rapidly deployed.
Lithium-ion storage continues to evolve toward high-capacity cells and large-scale integration. Flow battery installations have reached 1.15 GW, about 30 times higher than in 2020, while compressed-air storage achieved a “zero-to-one” breakthrough during the 14th Five-Year Plan, now reaching 830 MW. Solid-state and hydrogen storage technologies are also progressing rapidly, marking the rise of a diversified storage landscape.
In January 2025, China’s landmark Policy Document No. 136 (Notice on Deepening Market-Based Pricing Reform for Renewable Energy and Promoting High-Quality Development) provided a clearer market pathway for monetizing storage services such as peak shaving and frequency regulation.
By June, 194 new energy storage power stations (totaling 20.59 GW) in the State Grid area had participated in market transactions, accounting for 27% of total installations - mainly in peak regulation - showing steady growth in both scale and impact.
However, many experts at the forum noted that the full market value of new energy storage remains underdeveloped.
“Currently, standalone storage only participates in the day-ahead market; access to the real-time market remains limited. Ancillary service markets lack diversity and sufficient compensation, which fails to reflect the full value of storage in fast frequency response, ramping, capacity, inertia, and black-start services.”
“China has yet to introduce a capacity compensation mechanism for energy storage or policies allowing utilities to recover alternative storage costs through transmission and distribution tariffs. This reflects a lag in both understanding and technical capability amid the increasing complexity of the power system.”
“When pricing systems can better reflect true value, market forces will play their proper role.”
Meng Qingqiang also pointed out that China has yet to introduce a capacity compensation mechanism for energy storage or policies allowing utilities to recover alternative storage costs through transmission and distribution tariffs.
Strengthening Technological and Industrial Cooperation
How can China and the world further accelerate the high-quality development of new energy storage and achieve carbon-peak goals on schedule? Forum participants reached a common consensus: “Accelerate innovation and strengthen international cooperation.”
The recently released 15th Five-Year Plan Proposals emphasize the need to “build a new energy system, continuously increase renewable energy’s share, advance the safe and orderly replacement of fossil fuels, and vigorously develop new energy storage.”
“The next phase will involve coordinated planning for the 15th Five-Year period, accelerating the improvement of market mechanisms, advancing technology R&D, and deepening international collaboration. We will strengthen enterprises’ roles in innovation, improve lithium-ion storage quality and performance, and promote breakthroughs in promising emerging technologies. Meanwhile, following the principles of complementarity and mutual benefit, we will enhance bilateral and multilateral cooperation to jointly advance technological progress and industrial development.”
—— Bian Guangqi
Deputy Director of the Department of Energy Conservation and Technology Equipment, NEA
“Continuing institutional reforms to strengthen storage’s role as an independent market entity, enabling participation in energy, ancillary service, and cross-province trading markets, while fostering new business models such as leasing and capacity compensation.”
—— Wang Shaomin
Deputy General Manager of State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC)
“By 2030, China’s new energy storage capacity could reach 260 GW, continuing to lead global development.”
—— Steven Chu
Nobel Laureate in Physics and former U.S. Secretary of Energy
According to the China Energy Storage Industry White Paper 2025, under a conservative scenario, China’s cumulative new energy storage capacity will reach 236.1 GW by 2030, representing a 20.2% CAGR (2025–2030); under an optimistic scenario, it could reach 291.2 GW, with a 24.5% CAGR.
“After the rapid growth of the 14th Five-Year period, the new energy storage sector will accelerate again during the 15th Five-Year Plan, expanding applications, innovating business models, and unleashing new momentum.
China’s energy storage business model has shifted toward value-driven growth. Products with superior technical performance, higher safety, and optimized costs will gain stronger competitiveness, steering the industry toward high-quality development - from ‘price competition’ to ‘value competition.”
—— Yu Zhenhua
Founder and Executive Vice Chairman of the CNESA (China Energy Storage Alliance)
(By Yi Yuntong)
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The 8th Hongqiao International Economic Forum’s Parallel Forum on New Energy Storage Held in Shanghai
"Those who share the same aspirations will not be kept apart by mountains and seas."
On November 5, 2025, the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) opened as scheduled. As one of its key supporting events, the Hongqiao International Economic Forum focuses on major global economic issues. This year, a Parallel Forum on New Energy Storage was held, reflecting the world’s shared attention to energy transition and sustainable development.
On the afternoon of November 5, the Parallel Forum on “Promoting High-Quality Development of New Energy Storage to Accelerate the Global Energy Transition”, jointly hosted by the National Energy Administration (NEA) and the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), was successfully held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). The event was co-organized by the Institute of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CASISD), the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, CAS, The Paper, and the China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA).
The forum brought together high-level guests from across China and abroad. Notable participants included Mr. Song Hongkun, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the NEA; Ms. Xiao Lu, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade, MOFCOM; Mr. Zheng Deyan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Shandong Provincial Development and Reform Commission, and Director of the Provincial Energy Bureau; Mr. Yang Yang, Director of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Energy Bureau; Mr. Meng Qingqiang, Chief Engineer of the State Grid Corporation of China; Mr. Wang Shaowu, Deputy General Manager of China Southern Power Grid; Mr. Wang Shaomin, Deputy General Manager of State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC); Prof. Xia Qing from Tsinghua University; Mr. Pan Jiaofeng, President of CASISD; Mr. Yu Zhenhua, Executive Vice Chairman of CNESA; and Mr. Chen Xiang, Senior Vice President of EVE Energy and Head of EVE Energy Storage.
International guests included Mr. Laureano Ortega Murillo, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Nicaragua for Investments, Trade and International Cooperation, and Mr. Adam Bralczyk, Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Shanghai.
Dr. Steven Chu, Nobel Laureate in Physics and former U.S. Secretary of Energy, joined the event via video link.
The forum attracted extensive participation across the energy storage ecosystem, highlighting a shared commitment to high-quality development and open collaboration.
Leaders from the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and provincial energy authorities from Liaoning, Hebei, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Sichuan, Yunnan, Inner Mongolia, Hunan, Guangxi, and Gansu attended.
Executives from major state-owned enterprises such as State Grid, China Southern Power Grid, Huaneng, Datang, Huadian, SPIC, China Three Gorges Corporation, China Energy, POWERCHINA, Energy China, CGN, Inner Mongolia Energy Group, and Guangxi Energy Group were also present.
Representatives from leading enterprises, research institutes, and financial institutions participated, alongside international delegates from the Embassy of the French Republic, the Consulate General of the Republic of Finland in Shanghai, and the German Chamber of Commerce Abroad – Greater China (AHK), reflecting strong global consensus and cooperation toward energy transition.
The session was moderated by Mr. Liu Deshun, Director-General of the Department of Energy Conservation and Science & Technology Equipment at the NEA.
In his opening address, Deputy Director Song Hongkun emphasized that, marking the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, the NEA continues to implement the “Four Revolutions, One Cooperation” energy security strategy, building the world’s largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system and a complete new energy industry chain.
As a key enabler of China’s new power system, new energy storage has achieved remarkable progress — reaching over 100 GW of installed capacity by September 2025 — and has become essential for renewable integration and energy security.
Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan, China’s new energy storage has directly driven over 200 billion yuan in project investment and over 1 trillion yuan across the industrial chain, supplying high-performance products globally and contributing to the energy transition. Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan, the NEA will continue promoting innovation, improving market mechanisms, and fostering new productivity in the energy sector to ensure the carbon peak goal is met on schedule.
Mr. Laureano Ortega Murillo stated that Nicaragua is accelerating industrialization and energy diversification to meet growing power demand.
With abundant solar, wind, and geothermal resources, Nicaragua has already partnered with CCCC, POWERCHINA, and Huawei in renewable and storage projects. He welcomed further Chinese investment and cooperation to jointly advance global energy transition.
Ms. Xiao Lu, Deputy Director-General of MOFCOM’s Department of Foreign Trade, noted that Chinese energy storage enterprises are rapidly expanding abroad, leveraging technological and supply chain advantages to power the global green transition.
She highlighted three major trends:
Continuous expansion of trade volume;
Strengthened role as a global supply chain hub;
Steady growth in outbound investment.
Looking ahead, China will further support two-way openness — encouraging foreign enterprises to establish R&D centers in China and supporting domestic companies to “go global” — while enhancing international standards cooperation and alignment.
Mr. Bian Guangqi, Deputy Director-General of NEA’s Department of Energy Conservation and Science & Technology Equipment, delivered a keynote titled “Vigorously Developing New Energy Storage to Support New Power Systems.”
He highlighted that NEA continues to advance innovation and comprehensive policy measures, creating favorable conditions for technology progress, industrial growth, and improved commercial models in the new energy storage sector.
Dr. Steven Chu, Nobel Laureate and former U.S. Secretary of Energy, stressed via video that the world faces an urgent decarbonization challenge. While renewable energy costs have fallen sharply, he noted that achieving deep decarbonization requires multiple complementary technologies.
He praised China’s global leadership in large-scale wind turbines, battery storage, and nuclear cost control, and emphasized that efficient, affordable energy storage, next-generation nuclear, and carbon capture and storage (CCUS) will be crucial to achieving climate goals.
Mr. Meng Qingqiang, Chief Engineer of State Grid, analyzed challenges such as planning mismatches, insufficient market value recognition, and incomplete safety standards. He proposed coordinated planning, diversified market mechanisms, and accelerated innovation to support new power system construction.
Mr. Wang Shaowu of China Southern Power Grid emphasized that energy storage, as a strategic technology for new power systems, faces both opportunities and challenges in achieving high-quality development. He outlined the company’s strategy to strengthen value creation, system integration, and platform-based innovation.
Mr. Wang Shaomin of SPIC reported that China’s cumulative new energy storage capacity reached 114 GW by October 2025, marking a shift from policy-driven to market-driven growth. SPIC now operates 279 projects totaling 8.74 GW (20.94 GWh), ranking first nationwide, and will continue promoting global collaboration and innovation.
Mr. Zheng Deyan from Shandong Energy Bureau shared Shandong’s leadership in energy storage, noting 9.74 GW of operational capacity, ranking among the top three provinces in China for three consecutive years. The province aims to establish a “predictable, sustainable, and scalable” market mechanism to ensure reasonable returns and reduce investment risk.
Prof. Xia Qing from Tsinghua University analyzed China’s policy evolution from early mandatory installation to market-based incentives such as capacity compensation and spot trading, enabling rapid capacity growth and cost reductions exceeding 50% since 2022.
Mr. Pan Jiaofeng, President of CASISD, reviewed China’s progress in wind, solar, EVs, and hydrogen, and called for faster development of a non-fossil energy–dominated, innovation-driven power system to balance energy security and low-carbon transition.
Mr. Yu Zhenhua, Executive Vice Chairman of CNESA, outlined trends in technology and industrial development — from pumped storage to battery-dominated systems — and highlighted growing diversification (e.g., sodium-ion and flow batteries) and enhanced safety standards.
Mr. Chen Xiang, Senior VP of EVE Energy, noted that global markets show significant diversity in development stages and demand structures. He emphasized localization, long-duration storage innovation, and multi-technology approaches (solid-state, sodium-ion, etc.) to support a clean, resilient global energy system.
The Parallel Forum on New Energy Storage at the 8th Hongqiao International Economic Forum served as a vital platform for global dialogue and collaboration.
Participants exchanged insights on technological innovation, market mechanisms, and international cooperation, forming broad consensus on the future of the energy storage industry.
As one of the key achievements of this year’s Hongqiao Forum, the event will inject strong momentum into optimizing the global energy structure and advancing sustainable development and carbon neutrality worldwide.
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The 8th Hongqiao International Economic Forum - “High-quality Development of New Types of Energy Storage Accelerates Global Energy Transition”
Source: CNESA
Date: November 5, 2025, 14:30-17:30
Venue: Room D1, Hall 4.2, National Exhibition and Convention Center
(Shanghai)
Hosts: National Energy Administration
Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China
Organizers: Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of
Sciences
Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of
Sciences
The Paper
China Energy Storage Alliance
Introduction:
The parallel session on "High-quality Development of New Types of Energy Storage Accelerates Global Energy Transition" will bring together distinguished representatives from government, industry, academia, research institutions, and finance to build a global high-end energy storage ecosystem. Participants will explore major topics such as technological breakthroughs, innovative business models, policy incentive mechanisms, and domestic and international industrial cooperation, sharing experience and contributing collective wisdom to the world.
Program:
Honored Guests:
Meng Qingqiang
Chief Engineer, State Grid Corporation of China
Chief Engineer of State Grid Corporation of China, Chairman and Party Committee Secretary of SG Electric Power Research Institute. Born in July 1966 in Tianjin, of Han ethnicity, he holds a bachelor's degree and is a professor-level senior engineer. As a member of the Communist Party of China, he began working in July 1987. His previous roles include General Manager of Tianjin Binhai Company, Deputy General Manager and Party Committee Member of Tianjin Electric Power Company, Deputy General Manager and Party Committee Member of Jiangsu Electric Power Company, General Manager and Deputy Party Committee Secretary of Chongqing Electric Power Company, Director of the SG AC Construction Department, and Chairman and Party Committee Secretary of State Grid Hunan Electric Power Company. He previously served as Chief Engineer of State Grid Corporation of China and assumed his current position in March 2023.
Wang Shaowu
Party Leadership Group Member & Vice President， China Southern Power Grid Co., Ltd.
Dr. WANG Shaowu, Vice President of China Southern Power Grid Co., Ltd., has long been engaged in research on high-voltage insulation, advanced UHV/EHV transmission, localization and development of power equipment, and management of innovative large-scale complex engineering systems. He is well-versed in the design, construction and operation of large power grids and has made systematic contributions to China's international leading position in UHVAC, UHVDC, and VSC-DC transmission technologies.
He has received National Award for Science and Technology Progress (Special Prize), China Electric Power Science and Technology Award (First Prize), and China Machinery Industry Science and Technology Progress Award (Special Prize), among others.
Wang Shaomin
Party Leadership Group Member & Vice President, State Power Investment Corporation Limited
Wang Shaomin, male, born in 1972, holds a master's degree with a Master of Engineering. He is a senior engineer (professorial level).
His previous roles include President of China Huaneng Group's Clean Energy Technology Research Institute, General Manager of Huaneng Fujian Branch, Party Committee Secretary and General Manager of Huaneng Xiong'an Branch, Executive Director and Party Committee Secretary of Huaneng Xiong'an Branch, Executive Director and General Manager of Huaneng (Xiong'an) Urban Integrated Energy Services Co., Ltd., and Executive Director and Party Committee Secretary of Huaneng Hebei Branch. He has long been engaged in management work in the power and energy sector. In December 2024, he was appointed as Vice President and Party Leadership Group Member of the State Power Investment Corporation Limited.
Xia Qing
Professor, Tsinghua University
Qing Xia received the B.E. and M.E. degree from Harbin Institute of Technology, in 1982 and 1986, respectively, and Ph.D. degree from Tsinghua University, in 1989, all in electrical engineering. He is now a Professor and Chair of the Academic Degree Committee in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Tsinghua University.
He has extensive academic and industrial experiences in electricity market and power system economic operations. His research team has designed and implemented load forecasting, generation scheduling, security assessment and market trading software for over ten provincial power grid companies in China. He has also been directing electricity market mechanism design and implementation towards China's electricity deregulation. Moreover, he has served as a consulting expert for both the State Grid Corporation and China Southern Power Grid Corporation for many years.
His research interests include power economics and electricity market, power system load forecasting, power system economic operation, generation & transmission expansion planning, optimization application in power systems, low-carbon electricity smart grid, etc.
He is a senior member of IEEE and a senior member of CSEE (Chinese Society for Electrical Engineering). He was awarded the title of national excellent science and technology workers.
Pan Jiaofeng
President of the Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CASISD)
Pan Jiaofeng, Professor, Doctoral Supervisor. He is a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress. He is currently President of the Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CASISD), Dean of the School of Public Policy and Management, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Director of China Innovation Strategy and Policy Research Center funded by Research Office of the State Council and CAS, and Chairman of the Chinese Association of Development Strategy Studies. He is also a member of the governing board of the International Research and Training Center for Science and Technology Strategy (CISTRAT), UNESCO. His research focuses on S&T strategies, innovation policies, and think-tank science and engineering. He has presided over more than 60 national major and key decision-making consultation, policy research and strategic research projects, and has achieved a number of influential results in decision-making consultation and theoretical research. He has innovated think-tank theories and methods, and published series of academic monographs including DIIS Theory and Methodology in Think Tanks, Double Helix Methodology in Think Tanks and Introduction of Think Tank Science and Engineering.
Yu Zhenhua
Founder and Executive Vice Chairman, China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA)
Deputy Director and Secretary-General, Energy Storage Expert Committee under China Energy Research Society
Yu Zhenhua, Founder and Executive Vice Chairman of China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA), and Deputy Director and Secretary-General of the Energy Storage Expert Committee under China Energy Research Society. In 2011, Mr. Yu led the establishment of CNESA, China's first and only social organization dedicated to the energy storage field. It is committed to promoting the development of the energy storage industry by influencing the formulation of government policies and the promotion of energy storage applications. In the same period, he founded Beijing ReneSola Century Technology Co., Ltd. and serves as Chairman, focusing on promoting the development and application of energy storage in the power application field and constructing China's first commercial power station project where energy storage participates in power auxiliary services. Leading the alliance team, Yu Zhenhua undertook 3 national key R&D programs. He has won awards including the Third Prize of Excellent Achievements in Energy Soft Science Research by the National Energy Administration in 2016 and the Second Prize of Energy Innovation Award by China Energy Research Society in 2022.
Jianhui Zhang
Chairman & CEO, BEIJING HYPERSTRONG TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Dr. Jianhui Zhang is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Beijing HyperStrong Technology Co., Ltd. He is a professor-level senior engineer and has extensive experience in the product development and technical management of power electronics and large-scale integration. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, as well as a M.S. degree and a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Tsinghua University.
Dr. Zhang spent 10 years studying and working in the United States, during which he obtained more than 20 technology invention patents and published more than 10 academic papers. Prior to founding HyperStrong, he served as the Chief Technology Officer of the Smart Grid Group of Siemens China Co., Ltd., where he presided over the R&D and technical management of smart grid products.
Steven Chen
SVP of EVE Energy, CEO of EVE Energy Storage
Mr. Steven Chen, a master's degree from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, is currently the senior vice president of EVE Energy Co., Ltd. and the president of EVE Energy Storage Co., Ltd.. He has more than 20 years of working experience in the eld of network energy and energy storage. Mr. Steven Chen joined Emerson Network Power Co., Ltd. in 2004 as the Director of Business Development for Asia Pacfic; Since March 2016, he has worked for EVE Energy Co., Ltd. as vice president, and has concurrently served as president of EVE Energy Storage Co., Ltd. since May 2018.
Mr. Steven Chen is good at integrating computer information processing, network energy applications and energy storage systems based on lithium battery technology for system application design.Have a deeper understanding of the development of the energy storage industry, integrate marketing, management and market analysis capabilities, go deep into the front line, and continue to operate the production, marketing and research of the electrochemical energy storage business in corporate operations.
CENSA Upcoming Events:
1. Dec.4-5 | 2025 China Energy Storage CEO Summit | Xiamen, Fujian
Register Now to attend
Read more: http://en.cnesa.org/new-events-1/2025/12/4/dec4-5-2025-china-energy-storage-ceo-summit
2. Apr. 1-3, 2026 | The 14th Energy Storage International Conference & Expo
Register Now to attend, free before Oct 31, 2025.
China-UK Hydrogen and Energy Storage Cooperation Forum Successfully Held
Source: CNESA
On October 23, 2025, during the International Forum on Energy Transition, the China-UK Hydrogen and Energy Storage Cooperation Forum was held in Suzhou. The event brought together representatives from energy authorities of both countries, the British Embassy in Beijing, and institutions such as the China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA) and the China Hydrogen Alliance, along with experts, scholars, and business leaders from the hydrogen and energy storage industries. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on technological innovation and industrial collaboration in promoting the global energy transition.
Liu Deshun, Director-General of the Department of Energy Conservation and Science & Technology Equipment of China’s National Energy Administration, and Rachel Kyte, the UK Special Representative for Climate, attended the forum and delivered remarks. Other distinguished guests included Greg Dyke, Deputy Director for International Affairs at the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and Jonathan Bacon, Minister Counsellor (Economic) at the British Embassy in Beijing. They shared insights into the UK’s energy sector development and international cooperation strategies under its net-zero goals.
Experts and representatives from University College London (UCL), the Faraday Institution, CNESA, and the China Hydrogen Alliance, as well as leading companies such as GoodWe, HyperStrong, Trina Solar, bp China, and Johnson Matthey, participated in the forum. Through open dialogue, they contributed professional expertise and practical perspectives to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the energy sector.
In his speech, Liu Deshun emphasized that the global energy landscape is undergoing profound transformation, and developing clean energy and tackling climate change have become a shared international priority. As strategic emerging industries, hydrogen and energy storage play crucial roles in driving energy transition and achieving carbon neutrality. He noted that China’s National Energy Administration remains committed to high-level opening-up. In March 2025, China and the UK signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Clean Energy Partnership, identifying clean hydrogen and battery energy storage as key cooperation areas. Moving forward, both sides will deepen practical collaboration in hydrogen and energy storage, enhance policy dialogue, advance joint technology innovation and standards development, and promote project implementation and investment - jointly contributing to global energy transition and climate governance.
Rachel Kyte, the UK Special Representative for Climate, stressed that hydrogen and energy storage are strategic enablers of clean, secure, and affordable energy. The UK looks forward to deepening cooperation with China under the Clean Energy Partnership framework to promote the global deployment of hydrogen and energy storage technologies, advancing the global shift toward green, low-carbon development.
Representing Chinese institution, Nina Ning, Senior Research Manager of the CNESA, delivered a keynote speech titled “Latest Developments and Prospects of China’s Energy Storage Market”. Her presentation provided an in-depth overview of China’s energy storage progress, technological breakthroughs, and future trends, offering valuable insights for UK participants.
Aurore Mallon, Head of Battery Market and Investment at the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, introduced the UK’s policy and regulatory framework for battery energy storage. Lu Huan, Dean of GoodWe Solar Academy, shared project experiences of Chinese storage companies entering the UK market. Professor Michael Grubb from University College London discussed the UK’s policy roadmap for commercializing energy storage. Their perspectives offered practical guidance for deepening bilateral industrial cooperation.
A panel discussion moderated by Alex Way, Counsellor for Net Zero and Sustainable Development at the British Embassy in Beijing, explored key topics such as the complementarity of China-UK technology roadmaps, compliance and localization challenges for overseas operations, and market mechanism design. Chinese participants - including Dr. Wang Jinsong, Chief Scientist at the Big Data Center of HyperStrong, and Ge Yufang, Director of Strategy and Operations at Trina Solar’s Overseas Power Plant Division - shared practical insights, while representatives from UK firms such as Arup and Wood Mackenzie provided professional recommendations to enhance China-UK industrial collaboration and support Chinese energy storage enterprises going global.
After the forum, the China-UK Hydrogen and Energy Storage Cooperation Reception was held as scheduled, providing a relaxed business networking platform for guests from both sides. The reception helped participants further connect resources and discuss cooperation in an informal setting, continuing the collaborative momentum of the forum.
The successful convening of the China-UK Hydrogen and Energy Storage Cooperation Forum marks a new stage of deepened collaboration between the two countries in the hydrogen and energy storage fields. As a leading industry service platform, CNESA remains committed to promoting the international development of China’s energy storage industry. Going forward, CNESA will continue to leverage international cooperation mechanisms, integrate industry resources, and provide diversified platforms for policy dialogue, technology exchange, and project collaboration - helping Chinese energy storage companies seize global market opportunities, manage compliance risks, and strengthen localization efforts, while contributing Chinese expertise and strength to the global energy transition.
CENSA Upcoming Events:
1. Dec.4-5 | 2025 China Energy Storage CEO Summit | Xiamen, Fujian
Register Now to attend
Read more: http://en.cnesa.org/new-events-1/2025/12/4/dec4-5-2025-china-energy-storage-ceo-summit
2. Apr. 1-3, 2026 | The 14th Energy Storage International Conference & Expo
Register Now to attend, free before Oct 31, 2025.
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