What is a compressed air energy storage project?

A compressed air energy storage (CAES) project in Hubei, China, has come online, with 300MW/1,500MWh of capacity. The 5-hour duration project, called Hubei Yingchang, was built in two years with a total investment of CNY1.95 billion (US$270 million) and uses abandoned salt mines in the Yingcheng area of Hubei, China’s sixth-most populous province.

Where is China's compressed air energy storage plant?

Aerial view of another compressed air energy storage plant in China, which was connected to the grid last month. Image: China Huaneng. Construction has started on a 350MW/1.4GWh compressed air energy storage (CAES) unit in Shangdong, China.

Is China planning to use compressed air for energy storage?

But according to Asia Times, China is planning to lean heavily on compressed air energy storage (CAES) as well, to handle nearly a quarter of all the country's energy storage by 2030.

How efficient is China's new compressed air plant?

According to China Energy Storage Alliance, the new plant can store and release up to 400 MWh, at a system design efficiency of 70.4%. That's huge; current compressed air systems are only around 40-52% efficient, and even the two larger Hydrostor CAES plants scheduled to open in California in 2026 are only reported to be around 60% efficient.

Is underground compressed air energy storage a good idea?

Tina Casey recently wrote that underground compressed air energy storage is getting attention these days because it may be able to generate electricity for as long as eight hours whereas most grid-scale batteries have exhausted their power after three to four hours.

How much electricity can the Zhangjiakou plant supply?

The Chinese Academy of Sciences says the Zhangjiakou plant is capable of supplying the local grid with more than 132 GWh of electricity annually, taking on the peak consumption of some 40-60,000 homes.