Local governments have also introduced a series of policies to promote the construction of new type energy storage in conjunction with new energy power generation.
This marks the first time in 20 years that China''s power market operation rules have undergone changes. Compared to previous and existing legislation, the new rules include significant revisions and are intended to
Utilizing the developed high-resolution power expansion model for China, several development scenarios for energy storage and demand response are constructed, varying in energy storage duration, demand response capacity, and demand response periods.
With Document 136 abolishing mandatory energy storage requirements and Document 394 pushing for comprehensive electricity spot market coverage, this policy combo directly addresses two critical aspects of the energy
According to the document, China will launch initiatives to boost technology innovation in the new-type energy storage sector. These initiatives will include measures to speed up the upgrading of mature technologies such as lithium batteries and support disruptive technological innovations.
With over 31 national standards implemented since July 2024 [3], China is rewriting the playbook for electrochemical energy storage. These updates couldn''t come at a more critical time—global lithium-ion battery fires increased 67% year-over-year in Q1 2024 [7].
Since February 2025, China has rolled out game-changing regulations that''ll make your head spin faster than a flywheel储能 system. Let''s break down the key updates you can''t afford to miss.
These standards, led by China, aim to support the development of a new type of electric power system with new energy as the mainstay. The standards cover performance testing, design principles, and environmental impact assessment for power storage systems, setting a benchmark for global manufacturers, users, and third-party institutions.
The inclusion of detailed specifications for both electrochemical and compressed air energy storage facilities marks a significant step in aligning technical standards with the evolving demands of China''s modern energy infrastructure.
This marks the first time in 20 years that China''s power market operation rules have undergone changes. Compared to previous and existing legislation, the new rules include significant revisions and are intended to improve various aspects of market design and operation.
The inclusion of detailed specifications for both electrochemical and compressed air energy storage facilities marks a significant step in aligning technical standards with the evolving demands of China''s modern energy infrastructure.
The government''s long-term goal is to position China as a global manufacturing powerhouse in energy storage, contributing to the efficient development and utilization of renewable energy resources
China's energy storage manufacturing industry is already at the forefront of global standards and will continue to lead the industry in advanced power trading and grid integration technologies in the future, said Tian Qingjun, senior vice-president of Envision Group.
While related studies have demonstrated the applicability of energy storage and demand response in other countries (Gangopadhyay et al., 2024; Seck et al., 2020), however, China is more suitable for energy storage and demand response deployment due to differences in regional infrastructure, resource endowments and economic development.
China now possesses core technologies across the entire industry value chain, giving it a competitive edge in the field. This strengthens and complements China's leadership in the renewable energy and electric vehicle sectors, he said. China released 770 energy storage-related policies in 2024, with 77 issued at the national level.
By 2023, an additional 21.5 GW of energy storage had been installed, with over 95% of this capacity being lithium battery-based electrochemical storage (CIAPS, 2024). Several regions in China have already mandated wind and solar power plants to integrate a certain amount of energy storage capacity.
"Key developments in energy storage technologies will play a pivotal role in integrating renewable energy sources and smart grids, thus enhancing the overall flexibility and efficiency of China's energy system," said Fei Zhi, vice-chairman of GCL Group.
Under the pressure of climate change, Chinese future power structure and supply will inevitably be dominated by renewable power. However, large-scale grid integration of renewable power presents significant challenges to the stable operation of the power system.
