World's Largest Compressed Air Energy Storage Project Begins Operation in China

Two units at the world's largest salt cavern compressed air energy storage (CAES) project have successfully completed their integrated startup in the Jintan District of Changzhou, Jiangsu Province. The successful startup verified the operational stability of the equipment and marks a significant breakthrough in China's core technology and system integration capabilities for large-capacity CAES in salt caverns.

Compressed air energy storage power plants operate by storing electricity during off-peak hours and generating it during peak demand, functioning like a "super battery" for the grid. This process utilizes compressed air stored in underground salt caverns and does not involve the combustion of fossil fuels, resulting in zero emissions.

The project features two units, each with a capacity of 350 megawatts, making its total installed scale the largest among global CAES projects utilizing salt caverns. Air is compressed to over 130 atmospheres and stored in salt caverns approximately 1000 meters deep. During peak demand, this high-pressure air is released to drive turbines and generate electricity.

This facility is designed to store approximately 2.8 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and undergo around 330 charge-discharge cycles annually. Upon full operation, the project is expected to provide robust support for grid peak shaving and load balancing, significantly enhancing the absorption capacity for renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.