New energy storage tops 100m kW

China's new energy storage capacity has exceeded 100 million kilowatts, marking a major milestone in the nation's transition toward a new-type energy system and consolidating its global lead in renewable energy development, said officials at an energy storage sub-forum on Nov 5.

"By the end of September, China's new energy storage installations had surpassed 100 million kW, becoming a vital part of the new-type power system," said Song Hongkun, deputy director of the National Energy Administration, at a sub-forum on high-quality development of new energy storage during the eighth Hongqiao International Economic Forum in Shanghai on Nov 5.

Song said China has built the world's largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system and the most complete new energy industrial chain. He added that new energy storage — known for its flexible deployment, rapid response and short construction period — has become a key technology underpinning the development of new energy and power systems.

Bian Guangqi, deputy director-general of the NEA's department of energy conservation and technology equipment, said China's new energy storage capacity has grown more than 30-fold since the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20), now accounting for over 40 percent of total global capacity.

Bian said the sector has advanced from its early commercialization stage into large-scale development, with steady progress in technology, industrial upgrading, business models and application scenarios.

Emerging technologies such as solid-state batteries and hydrogen storage are also advancing rapidly, offering robust support for multi-timescale and high-safety energy storage needs in future power systems, Bian added.

"Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), investment in new energy storage projects in China has exceeded 200 billion yuan ($28 billion), driving over 1 trillion yuan of investment along the industrial chain," Song said, adding that China's products are helping accelerate global energy transition by contributing Chinese strength to the world's green transformation.

Looking ahead, the NEA will intensify support for technological innovation in new energy storage, nurture new quality productive forces in the energy sector and work toward achieving the nation's carbon goals on schedule.

Laureano Ortega Murillo, presidential advisor on investments, trade and international cooperation for Nicaragua, expressed strong interest in partnering with China in renewable energy.

He said that while 70 percent of Nicaragua's energy already comes from renewables such as solar, wind and geothermal, its growing industrial demand calls for expanded energy supply.

"We've already collaborated with Chinese energy enterprises on solar and hydropower projects. We hope to explore more opportunities for cooperation with China based on these existing partnerships," he added.