Chinese developer ZCGN has completed a groundbreaking 300MW compressed air energy storage (CAES) facility in Feicheng, Shandong province, setting a new record as the world's largest CAES system.
Key Highlights:
Record-Breaking Scale: This facility surpasses the previous largest CAES project, a 100 MW installation by the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completed in October 2022.
Advanced Technology: The plant features a multi-stage wide-load compressor and a high-load turbine expander, complemented by high-efficiency supercritical heat exchanger technology and integrated control systems.
Cost and Efficiency: Impressively, ZCGN's facility is 30% cheaper than its 100 MW predecessor and achieves an efficiency of 72%.
The project uses an underground salt cavern reaching depths of up to 1,000 meters. The cavern boasts a gas storage capacity of more than 500,000 cubic meters.
Thanks to the country’s advanced permitting regime, the project was completed in only two years at a cost of approx. $210m.
This innovation highlights China’s rapid advancements in energy storage technology, demonstrating significant potential for cost reductions and efficiency improvements in long duration energy storage projects.