Green giant compressed air energy storage project

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.

What is a 300 MW energy storage plant?

The $207.8 million energy storage power station has a capacity of 300 MW/1,800 MWh and uses an underground salt cave. Chinese developer ZCGN has completed the construction of a 300 MW compressed air energy storage (CAES) facility in Feicheng, China's Shandong province. The company said the storage plant is the world's largest CAES system to date.

How many compressed air storage projects are there in the world?

For decades, there were only two operating compressed-air storage projects worldwide at salt domes in Alabama and Germany.

Is compressed air a viable energy solution?

The viability of compressed air as an energy solution depends on economics. Hydrostor's Kern County project is expected to produce only 60% to 65% of the electricity it consumes, which is a larger loss of energy compared to lithium-ion batteries and other storage methods.

What are the challenges of compressed-air storage projects?

Another challenge is that those projects depend in part on natural gas. For decades, there were only two operating compressed-air storage projects worldwide, at salt domes in Alabama and Germany.

How much power does a new energy storage facility provide?

The $207.8 million facility boasts an energy storage capacity of 300 MW/1,800 MWh and occupies an area of approximately 100,000 m2. According to ZCGN, it is capable of providing uninterrupted power discharge for up to six hours, ensuring power supplies to between 200,000 and 300,000 local homes during peak consumption periods.