China has embarked on a groundbreaking project to build the world's largest compressed air energy storage system. The initiative is inspired by the success of the Jintan project, which has proven the viability of this innovative technology. The new project aims to create two 350-MW generators in Changzhou, capable of producing 2.8 GWh of electricity annually. The system will utilize a 1.2 million cubic meter salt cavern, making it the largest of its kind.
The project is a collaboration between CNSIG, Huaneng Group, and researchers from Tsinghua University. Earlier, in 2021, the project began with a 60-MW installation that demonstrated the effectiveness of the concept.
The new system will operate on a 330-cycle basis, storing surplus energy during the day and converting it into electricity at night. The system's preliminary performance has seen a significant improvement, with a Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 60% exceeded only by comparable systems in the US (54%) and Germany (40%). The upgraded automation allows for the activation of generation within five minutes, representing a substantial reduction in time and effort.