China's first 100-megawatt compressed CO2 energy storage project connected to grid
China's first 100-megawatt class compressed carbon dioxide energy storage project, the China Huadian Xinjiang Mulei project, has been successfully connected to the power grid. This initiative opens a new route for large-capacity, zero-carbon, and efficient CO2 energy storage.
China has successfully connected its first 100-megawatt class compressed carbon dioxide energy storage project to the power grid. The China Huadian Xinjiang Mulei project marks a new pathway for large-capacity, zero-carbon, and efficient compressed CO2 energy storage.
The project, likened to a giant "power bank" in the Gobi Desert, can store and release electricity based on grid demand. During off-peak hours, it can store 290 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually, and during peak hours, it can release 180 million kWh of clean electricity. The facility is capable of continuous power generation for over six hours.
The system utilizes carbon dioxide as a closed-loop working medium. It does not rely on geological conditions, requires low pressure and temperature, and offers high reliability at a reduced cost. The project's key core technologies are fully independently controlled.
During the energy storage phase, when electricity demand is low, surplus power drives motors to compress carbon dioxide from ambient temperature and pressure into a gaseous state. The heat generated during this compression process is captured and stored. Subsequently, the compressed CO2 is condensed into a liquid for storage, enabling higher energy density.
In the power generation phase, during peak demand, the liquid CO2 is vaporized and then heated using the stored thermal energy into a high-pressure gas. This gas drives a turbine to generate clean electricity. The system comprises gas storage, liquid storage, compression, thermal storage, heat exchange units, and power generation components.