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

On April 10, 2025, the premier global event for the energy storage industry, the 13th International Energy Storage Summit and Exhibition (ESIE2025), officially opened at the Beijing Capital International Exhibition Center. This event is 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 is themed “Digital Intelligence Empowers Industrial Transformation; Energy Storage Reshapes the Energy Landscape.” The opening ceremony gathered over 1,000 attendees, including government officials, research institutions, grid companies, power generation groups, and leading enterprises in the energy storage supply chain. The event was also livestreamed online, attracting over 2.3 million viewers through platforms such as Xinhua News Agency and the Zhongguancun Energy Storage Industry Technology Alliance’s video channel.

This year, the summit has set new records in scale, with 160,000 square meters of exhibition space, nearly 800 exhibitors, over 50 conference events, and more than 100 new product launches. On the first day alone, over 50,000 visitors attended in person.

Keynote Speakers and Guests

Among the distinguished speakers were:

• 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, Level 2 Inspector of the Electronic Information Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology
• Meng Qingqiang, Chief Engineer of the State Grid

Special guests included leading academicians and industry experts, such as:

• Yang Yusheng, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering
• Zhou Xiaoxin, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
• Sun Shigang, Professor at Xiamen University and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
• He Yaling, Professor at Xi’an Jiaotong University and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
• Zhao Tianshou, Director of the Carbon Neutral Energy Research Institute at Southern University of Science and Technology
• Ding Yulong, Director of the Energy Storage Research Center at the University of Birmingham, UK
• Sun Jinhua, Professor at the University of Science and Technology of China and Member of the European Academy of Sciences

Policy Direction and Industry Transformation

The energy storage industry is currently at a critical juncture in its market-oriented transformation. The release of Document No. 136 signifies a profound shift from policy-driven initiatives to market-led dynamics. Bian Guangqi emphasized that the National Energy Administration will continue to support the development of new energy storage technologies and industries, focusing on four key areas: enhancing forward-looking planning, promoting technological innovation, guiding rational resource allocation, and fostering healthy industry development.

Furthermore, the administration plans to accelerate the establishment of a power spot market, improve auxiliary service market trading varieties, and collaborate with relevant departments to refine new energy storage pricing mechanisms, all aimed at promoting high-quality development of the new energy storage industry.

According to Meng Qingqiang, by the end of 2024, the installed capacity of new energy storage in the State Grid’s operating area will reach 58.6 GW/137.9 GWh, primarily focusing on power source and grid-side applications.

Technological Innovations and Market Trends

Academician He Yaling highlighted in her keynote speech on “Large-Scale Energy Storage Technology Development and Trends” that breakthroughs in technology can lead to significant changes in human understanding. She called for a “dual-drive” approach of policy and market mechanisms to establish long-lasting frameworks that release multidimensional values from energy storage assets.

Other significant discussions revolved around the integration of new energy storage technologies and market applications, including the promotion of new models such as wind-solar-storage integration and smart energy management systems.

Future Directions for the Energy Storage Industry

The summit also featured high-level dialogues focusing on sustainable development paths for the energy storage industry in the context of a fully market-oriented new energy landscape. The “ESIE2025 Energy Storage Leaders’ High-End Dialogue” invited eight top experts and industry leaders to explore strategies and future directions for the energy storage sector amidst the wave of new energy marketization.

As the industry transitions from “scale expansion” to “value creation,” this summit aims to facilitate a platform for ideas, technological exchanges, and collaborative opportunities, ultimately contributing to the global energy transition with insights and solutions from China.