China has announced new measures to develop its energy storage manufacturing sector. The government defines this industry as producing energy storage, information processing, safety control, and other products related to storing renewable energy.
An action plan issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, along with seven other government bodies, aims to make the industry internationally competitive by 2027. The plan includes efforts to improve existing technologies such as lithium batteries and encourage innovation in new energy storage methods.
China will launch projects to accelerate research in energy storage. The country will also focus on improving industrial coordination in the sector. Authorities say these efforts will support the integration of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power into the national grid.
According to Greenpeace East Asia, energy storage technology will help China balance electricity supply and demand. The organization notes that there is currently a gap between energy storage manufacturing capacity and the actual demand on the grid. The plan is expected to help address this issue.
Some regions, including Guangdong, have already classified energy storage as a strategic industry. The province is China’s largest regional economy and has been investing in storage technology to support its renewable energy expansion.
China has several renewable energy projects underway. The Jiuquan Wind Power Base in Gansu Province has an installed capacity of around 10GW. The Tengger Desert Solar Park in Ningxia has a capacity of 1.5GW. The country is also developing offshore wind farms along its eastern coastline, including projects in Jiangsu and Fujian provinces.
In addition to large-scale projects, China is promoting distributed renewable energy systems. Rooftop solar installations are increasing in urban and rural areas. The country is also developing hydrogen energy storage pilot projects to explore alternative storage solutions.