Daily Energy Storage Capacity of 800,000 kWh! A new large-scale lithium-sodium hybrid energy storage station has commenced operations.
On May 25, the Baoci Energy Storage Station, part of the national new energy storage pilot demonstration project, was officially launched in Qiubei County, Yunnan Province. This large lithium-sodium hybrid energy storage facility has the capacity to store 800,000 kilowatt-hours (or 800,000 degrees) of electricity each day.
From an aerial view, the energy storage station features over 150 battery cabins and boost converter cabins arranged neatly, with a uniform appearance. Upon entering the facility, one can observe that the sizes of the battery cabins and boost converter cabins vary across different areas. About 200 meters inside the entrance lies the sodium ion battery storage area, where a continuous humming sound can be heard from the battery cabins.
The Baoci Energy Storage Station occupies approximately 50 acres and boasts a maximum instantaneous output capacity of 200 megawatts, with a total energy storage capacity of 400 megawatt-hours. Based on a daily cycle of two charges and two discharges, the station can store 800,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity daily, allowing it to adjust 1.6 million kilowatt-hours of energy each day. Annually, the station can regulate 584 million kilowatt-hours, which is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of about 270,000 households.
Yunnan Province is a model region in China for high renewable energy integration, with installed renewable energy capacity exceeding 60 million kilowatts and a penetration rate approaching 70% within the power system. Luo Yao, an operator at the dispatch control center of the Yunnan Power Grid Company, noted that a high proportion of renewable energy leads to greater volatility in the grid, thereby increasing the need for energy storage support.
Wang Hui, the director of the Baoci Energy Storage Station, explained that this facility integrates the advantages of lithium and sodium batteries. It utilizes a network-type sodium battery technology that incorporates the latest large-capacity sodium ion batteries developed in China, achieving a response speed that is six times faster than existing sodium ion batteries. The enhanced performance of sodium batteries, combined with mature lithium battery technology and a 200 megawatt output capability, enables the station to support over 30 wind and solar power plants in Yunnan, facilitating the stable integration of large amounts of renewable energy into the grid. This includes participation in the electricity market, promoting efficient use of renewable energy.
Wan Minhui, a researcher at the South China Grid Energy Storage Company, stated that the Baoci Energy Storage Station effectively combines the storage advantages of lithium and sodium batteries, further expanding the application scenarios for sodium ion battery storage in China and accelerating the development of the new energy storage industry chain. The adoption of network-type energy storage technology allows for flexible adjustments in charging and discharging modes based on the integration of renewable energy, helping to balance the volatility of renewable sources. This technology can also be applied in regions with high renewable energy proportions, such as Tibet, Xinjiang, Gansu, and Ningxia, assisting in the stable delivery of electricity from renewable energy bases in desert, gobi, and barren areas.
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