World's largest and most efficient clean compressed air energy storage system launched in the north
The Clean Energy Revolutionwould require huge amounts of energy storage to protect against intermittent energy supplied by the sun and wind. China plans to rely heavily on compressed air energy storage (CAES), which will account for almost a quarter of all energy storage in the country by 2030, according to the Asia Times.
So, after several years of development by the ChineseAcademy of Sciences, it has brought online the world's first 100 MW advanced CAES system, ready to begin commercial operation in the city of Zhangjiakou in northern China. By calling it "cutting edge," the Academy distinguishes it from the McIntosh station, which has operated since 1991 in Alabama, – 110 MW CAES plant, which burns stored air with natural gas to produce energy and is therefore not "green" energy storage solution.
The new plant in Zhangjiakou dispenses withfossil fuel. According to the China Energy Storage Alliance, the new plant can store and release up to 400 MWh at a design system efficiency of 70.4% (current compressed air systems are only 40-52% efficient, and even two larger Hydrostor CAES plants are planned open in California in 2026 have an efficiency of only 60%.)
The Chinese Academy of Sciences claims that the Zhangjiakou station is capable of supplying more than 132 GWh of electricity per year to the local power grid, taking on peak consumption of up to 60,000 homes.