China achieves breakthrough in compressed air energy storage technology

China has achieved a major breakthrough in compressed air energy storage (CAES) technology after an engineering team developed the world's most powerful CAES compressor, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said on Thursday.

The compressor was developed by the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics under the CAS and Zhong Chu Guo Neng (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd. It is a critical component of the CAES system, where air would be pumped into the underground cavern when power demand is low, while the compressed air would be released to generate power during power demand peaks.

Test results showed that the compressor reaches a maximum discharge pressure of 10.1 MPa and a peak power output of 101 MW. It operates across a wide load range, from 38.7% to 118.4%, and achieves an efficiency of 88.1% at maximum discharge pressure, representing a leading level of performance globally.

According to the CAS, this is the world's first CAES compressor with a single-unit power exceeding 100 MW. Compared with existing CAES compressors, the new system more than doubles power output while significantly reducing unit costs. It also stands out for its high efficiency, high-pressure capability, and wide operating range.

China is accelerating the development of energy storage technologies as a key measure in unlocking the full potential of renewable energy. Energy storage systems can help stabilize the intermittent output of photovoltaic or wind power, allowing a higher share of renewable energy to be integrated into the power grid.