China Prioritizes Zero-Carbon AA-CAES in 15th Five-Year Plan for LDES

Strategic Focus on Advanced Adiabatic CAES

As China accelerates the construction of its new power system, long-duration energy storage (LDES) has become a critical component for grid stability. In the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan, Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) has been officially designated as a key technology for strategic deployment. Recognizing the urgent need for decarbonization, the policy framework heavily prioritizes zero-carbon solutions over traditional fossil-fuel-reliant methods.

The Shift to AA-CAES Technology

The domestic industrial focus is now firmly centered on the Advanced Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage (AA-CAES) route. Unlike older models, AA-CAES requires no additional fuel combustion throughout the entire process, enabling near-zero carbon emissions. This technology is recognized as the core equipment for peak shaving and supply guaranteeing on the grid side.

Advanced Adiabatic CAES boasts core advantages including an energy conversion efficiency of 60%-70%, single-unit capacities reaching the hundreds of megawatts, storage durations of 4-10 hours, and a cycle life exceeding 30 years.

Phasing Out Diabatic CAES Projects

While traditional diabatic CAES technology boasts the highest maturity level, its power generation process requires the combustion of natural gas, resulting in unavoidable carbon emissions. Because this fundamentally conflicts with the nation's stringent zero-carbon requirements for new infrastructure, domestic policy now restricts diabatic CAES to reference demonstrations only. No new large-scale diabatic CAES projects will be approved or constructed.

This decisive policy shift underscores China's commitment to aligning its massive energy storage build-out with its climate goals. By mandating the adoption of AA-CAES, the government is ensuring that the gigawatt-scale storage capacity required to balance vast amounts of wind and solar power does not come at the expense of increased greenhouse gas emissions, solidifying AA-CAES as the dominant mechanical LDES route in the Chinese market.

This article was assisted by AI analysis. Please refer to the original source for official information.