The energy transition is a central issue of global concern, and innovation in energy storage technology plays a crucial role in this process. On December 31, 2024, the liquid air energy storage power station in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province was successfully connected to the grid for trial operation. This breakthrough marks an important step forward in the field of liquid air energy storage in China. As an efficient and flexible energy storage method, it not only fills the domestic technology gap, but also provides a new solution for new energy consumption and grid peak shaving, showing huge application potential.
Technical Principles and Innovations
Liquid air energy storage technology relies on the physical processes of air liquefaction and gasification, and its core lies in efficient energy conversion and storage:
1. Energy storage stage
The system cools the air to minus 170°C by a chiller and converts it into a liquid state. Liquid air has a volume of only 1/600 of gaseous air, so it has an extremely high energy storage density. This process involves a multi-layered collaboration of refrigeration technology, thermal management, and energy recovery.
2. Discharge phase
The liquid air is heated back to a gaseous state, and the volume expands dramatically, pushing the expander to rotate to drive a generator to generate electricity. This energy release process makes full use of the physical properties of air, and its energy storage density is 15-20 times that of compressed air energy storage, which greatly improves economy and practicability.
With the advantages of high energy storage density and environmental protection of materials, liquid air energy storage technology is particularly suitable for large-scale energy storage needs, while avoiding the resource scarcity and environmental problems faced by battery energy storage.
Application examples and benefits
The liquid air energy storage power station in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, developed by Hebei Jiantou Energy Storage Technology Co., Ltd., has an energy storage capacity of 4 megawatt hours and a daily power generation capacity of up to 4,000 kWh, which is enough to meet the daily electricity needs of 400 households. Its practical operation highlights the advantages of liquid air energy storage in solving new energy problems and improving the stability of the power grid:
Pictured: The liquid air energy storage power station in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province has been successfully connected to the grid for trial operation
1. Contribute to the consumption of new energy
The installed capacity of wind power and photovoltaic power in Hebei Province has exceeded 100 million kilowatts, however, the intermittency and instability of new energy power generation have always been a pain point in the industry. Liquid air energy storage can convert electricity into liquid air storage when there is a surplus of electricity generation, and release it when the power generation is insufficient, so as to achieve stable and efficient use of renewable energy. This technical solution significantly improves the capacity of new energy consumption and reduces the curtailment of wind and solar energy.
2. The key role of power grid peak shaving
Liquid air energy storage is characterized by fast response and flexible scheduling. At peak power consumption, it can quickly release energy to calm the load, and store excess power during low power consumption to optimize the distribution of power resources. This flexibility is important for balancing the load on the grid and improving grid security.
3. Diversified application of scenarios
In addition to grid peak shaving, liquid air energy storage is also suitable for industrial and commercial scenarios. For example, in scenarios such as steel plants and chemical plants, it can not only provide electricity, but also combine waste heat utilization to serve industrial production or residential heating, further expanding the application value of energy storage.
Industry significance and future prospects
The successful grid-connected trial operation of the liquid air energy storage power station is not only a milestone in the development of energy storage technology in China, but also an important reference example for the industry:
1. Promote the diversification of energy storage technologies
At present, the global energy storage field is showing a trend of a hundred flowers. Compared with lithium batteries and compressed air energy storage, liquid air energy storage has unique advantages such as pollution-free, high energy density and a wide range of application scenarios. Its successful operation provides an important basis for the industry to explore new technology paths.
2. Promote the coordinated development of the industrial chain
The development of liquid air energy storage will inject new vitality into the upstream and downstream industrial chains. Related industries, including manufacturers of refrigerators, expanders, storage tanks and other equipment, are expected to usher in significant growth in market demand. At the same time, the system integration and operation of the liquid air energy storage project has also created new business opportunities for service-oriented enterprises.
3. Challenges and areas for improvement
However, there are still technical and economic challenges to the roll-out of liquid-air energy storage:
- Energy loss and efficiency optimization: Energy loss in the refrigeration process needs to be further reduced to improve the overall efficiency of the energy storage system.
- Economic issues: At present, the initial investment of liquid air energy storage system is high, and how to reduce costs to achieve large-scale application is the key direction in the future.
- Policy support: The development of liquid air storage projects needs incentives and subsidies at the policy level to promote technology research and development and market promotion.
Future outlook
Looking ahead, liquid air energy storage is expected to play an even more important role in the energy transition:
1. Promote the rapid development of renewable energy
As the global installed capacity of renewable energy continues to expand, liquid air energy storage technology will become an important part of the energy system. It provides efficient and environmentally friendly solutions to issues such as renewable energy volatility and grid peak shaving.
2. Deep integration with other energy technologies
Liquid air energy storage can also be coupled with other energy technologies such as hydrogen and thermal energy to achieve diversified energy utilization. For example, in industrial parks, liquid air energy storage systems can be combined with waste heat recovery to provide both power and heat for the factory, significantly improving energy efficiency.
3. International development opportunities
As a promising technology, liquid air energy storage not only has a broad application space in the Chinese market, but can also be exported to other countries with strong demand for new energy, helping to transform the global energy structure.
Conclusion
The grid-connected trial operation of the liquid air energy storage power station marks a new stage of energy storage technology in China. This technology not only demonstrates excellent capabilities in renewable energy consumption and grid peak shaving, but also provides valuable experience for the diversified development of the global energy storage sector. In the future, through technology optimization, cost control and policy support, liquid air energy storage is expected to achieve large-scale application, providing an important boost for energy transition and sustainable development. It is not only a technological innovation that lights up thousands of homes, but also a bright business card for China's energy storage field to go global.
