Transitioning from Scaled Development to Comprehensive Commercialization: The Success of the 13th International Energy Storage Summit and Exhibition

On April 10, 2025, the world’s leading event in the energy storage industry, the 13th International Energy Storage Summit and Exhibition (ESIE2025), was grandly inaugurated at the Beijing Capital International Convention Center. ESIE2025 was hosted by the Zhongguancun Energy Storage Industry Technology Alliance, the China Energy Research Society, and the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. This year’s summit centered around the theme “Empowering Industrial Transformation with Digital Intelligence, Reshaping the Energy Landscape through Energy Storage.” The opening ceremony brought together over 1,000 participants from domestic and international government departments, research institutions, grid companies, power generation groups, and leading enterprises in the energy storage industry. The event was also live-streamed online via Xinhua News Agency and the Zhongguancun Energy Storage Industry Technology Alliance’s video account, garnering more than 2.3 million views.

This year's summit reached new heights in scale, setting numerous historical records. The exhibition area spanned 160,000 square meters, featuring nearly 800 exhibitors, more than 50 conference activities, and over 100 new product launches. On the first day, the number of attendees exceeded 50,000.

<h2>Industry Leaders Gathered</h2>
Notable speakers at the summit included Shi Yubo, Chairman of the China Energy Research Society; Bian Guangqi, Deputy Director of the Energy Conservation and Technology Equipment Department of the National Energy Administration; Zhou Haiyan, Second Inspector of the Electronic Information Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology; and Meng Qingqiang, Chief Engineer of the State Grid. Distinguished academicians invited included Yang Yusheng from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Zhou Xiaoxin from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sun Shigang from Xiamen University, He Yaling from Xi'an Jiaotong University, Zhao Tianshou, and Ding Yulong, Director of the Energy Storage Research Center at the University of Birmingham. Other notable guests included industry leaders from major energy companies and research institutions.

The opening ceremony was hosted by Liu Wei, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the Zhongguancun Energy Storage Industry Technology Alliance.

<h2>Market Trends and Policy Direction</h2>
The energy storage industry is currently at a pivotal point in its transition towards marketization. The issuance of Document No. 136 marks a significant shift from policy-driven to market-led development in energy storage. Bian Guangqi emphasized the National Energy Administration's commitment to promoting the development of new energy storage technologies and industry through forward-looking planning, strong support for technological innovation, guiding reasonable resource allocation, and facilitating healthy industrial growth. Furthermore, the National Energy Administration plans to accelerate the construction of the electricity spot market and improve the trading categories of ancillary services.

Zhou Haiyan highlighted the importance of strengthening the regulatory management of the industry, implementing standards for lithium battery production, and promoting technological advancement in the energy storage battery sector. Meng Qingqiang noted that by the end of 2024, the State Grid's newly installed energy storage capacity would reach 58.6 GW/137.9 GWh, with applications mainly on the power generation and grid sides.

<h2>Innovation and Technology Development</h2>
At the summit, several key initiatives were proposed by Shi Yubo, focusing on enhancing innovation, refining market mechanisms, and deepening international collaboration. The agenda included specialized sessions like the "Energy Storage Leader's Closed-Door Meeting" and the "New Energy Storage and Electricity Market Forum," which centered on core issues like pricing mechanisms and the construction of ancillary services markets.

In a keynote report, He Yaling discussed the revolutionary potential of large-scale energy storage technologies, emphasizing the need for breakthroughs in cost efficiency and safety. Wang Jifeng from the Southern Power Grid also addressed the critical role of energy storage in the new power system, highlighting its importance in ensuring reliable and sustainable electricity supply.

<h2>Future Opportunities and Challenges</h2>
As the energy storage industry transitions from scaling up to creating value, the summit provided a platform for discussing sustainable development paths within the new energy market. The "ESIE2025 Energy Storage Leader High-End Dialogue" focused on exploring the opportunities and challenges posed by the full marketization of new energy.

This rich dialogue, featuring industry leaders and experts, aimed to provide valuable insights and strategies for sustainable development in the energy storage sector. The goal is to foster a collaborative environment to drive policy reform, technological breakthroughs, and innovative business models, contributing to global energy transformation.