280,000 cubic meters of water per hour, 300,000 kW of peak power, lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen storage systems

As reported by CCTV+, in 2026, China’s energy storage industry is growing steadily: capacity is expanding rapidly, new technologies are emerging, renewable energy is being supported, and power supply reliability is increasing.

On Saturday, in Zhaoqing, Guangdong Province, installation began on China’s first pumped-storage power station with variable-speed operation. Precise pump speed control allows the accumulation of 280,000 cubic meters of water per hour, using surplus renewable energy that can later be converted back into clean power when needed.

China has accelerated the construction of such stations. By the end of March, the country’s operational pumped-storage capacity reached 67.09 GW. In the first quarter, these stations generated 21.4 terawatt-hours — 12.8 percent more than a year earlier.

In Huai’an, Jiangsu Province, the second unit of the world’s largest compressed air energy storage station is being commissioned. Once connected, it will provide the grid with 300,000 kW of peak power for four consecutive hours, significantly improving the flexibility of the regional power network, according to Qiu Chengguang of the State Grid Jiangsu Electric Power Company.

By the end of March, the operational capacity of new energy storage systems in China exceeded 140 GW. Lithium-ion batteries have entered large-scale commercial application, accounting for more than 96 percent of installed capacity. Breakthrough technologies such as solid-state batteries and hydrogen storage systems are also developing rapidly.

Chinese energy engineers are not just building power stations. They are creating a giant battery for the entire country. Water is pumped uphill so that it can later fall and generate electricity. Air is compressed in caverns to release energy at peak times. 67 GW of pumped storage, 140 GW of new systems — these are not just numbers. They are insurance for when the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing. Energy storage technology is what makes green energy not just fashionable, but reliable. The question is when such systems will appear in every home, every factory and every country. And who will be producing them. China has already answered that question. It is producing them now.