On December 18, construction began on the world's largest compressed air energy storage (CAES) power station, the Phase II Huaneng Jintan Salt-Cavern CAES Project, located in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province.
On December 18, construction began on the world's largest compressed air energy storage (CAES) power station, the Phase II Huaneng Jintan Salt-Cavern CAES Project, located in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province.
The project will feature two 350 MW non-combustion compressed air energy storage units, with a total storage volume of 1.2 million cubic meters. It will set global benchmarks for single-unit capacity, total storage capacity, and overall efficiency. Upon completion, the station will store up to 2.8 million kilowatt-hours of electricity in a single charge, sufficient to power 100,000 electric vehicles. Annually, it is projected to save 270,000 tons of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 520,000 tons.
Salt-cavern compressed air energy storage is an innovative large-scale energy storage technology, often described as an underground "green battery." During off-peak electricity periods, surplus energy drives compressors to inject air into salt caverns located 1,000 meters underground, storing it under high pressure. During peak demand, the compressed air is released and expanded through turbines to generate electricity, effectively addressing power shortages.
As a major infrastructure project in Jiangsu Province, the initiative has overcome critical technical challenges, including the development of the world's most advanced air turbines and compressors. The project has also achieved full localization of core equipment, reinforcing China's energy security strategy while setting a precedent for the global CAES industry.