On July 15, the construction of cold and hot water storage tanks officially commenced for the Huaneng-Dongfang Electric Yumen 100MW/1000MWh carbon dioxide energy storage integrated energy demonstration project.
Located in Yumen City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the project involves building a 100MW/1000MWh carbon dioxide energy storage power station, accompanied by supporting 600MW wind power and 400MW photovoltaic projects. This initiative represents a pioneering large-scale new energy storage demonstration project in desert, Gobi, and wasteland areas, marking the world’s first 100MW carbon dioxide energy storage power station.
Hangzhou Yuanpai Technology is responsible for constructing the project’s high-efficiency water energy storage system, including high-efficiency cold storage (34.1MWh per tank) and high-efficiency heat storage (380.6MWh per tank) systems. The high-efficiency water energy storage system serves as a key technology addressing the inherent thermodynamic challenges (compression heat, expansion cooling) in compressed carbon dioxide energy storage, directly impacting the overall system’s efficiency, economy, safety, and reliability. Functioning as energy “transporters” and “banks,” the water storage tanks essentially create an energy storage and recovery system. The heat storage tanks capture waste heat generated during compression for storage, releasing it during the power generation expansion phase to heat the working medium. The stored heat can be rapidly deployed to meet the grid’s fast peak-shaving demands, enhancing grid stability and reliability.
Therefore, the high-efficiency water energy storage system forms a core component in advancing new energy storage toward scale, industrialization, and marketization. It holds significant importance for building a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient modern energy system.
