Yunnan Province Breaks New Ground in Energy Storage with Nation’s Largest Vanadium Flow Battery Project
Date: 06 Feb 2025 |
Source: Global Flow Battery Energy Storage WeChat, 6 February 2025
In a landmark move for the energy storage sector, Yunnan Province has officially broken ground on two cutting-edge energy storage projects in Yongren County, Chuxiong Prefecture. With a combined investment of 3.627 billion yuan (approximately USD $510 million), these initiatives mark the largest vanadium flow battery (VFB) energy storage deployment in China, setting a new benchmark for renewable energy storage development in the region.
Pioneering Projects to Transform Energy Storage Landscape
The two projects, spearheaded by the Yunnan Energy Bureau, are poised to revolutionize the energy storage sector by leveraging advanced vanadium flow battery technology, known for its scalability, long lifespan, and ability to store large amounts of renewable energy. These initiatives are expected to significantly enhance the region’s capacity to manage renewable energy generation and consumption, paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient energy grid.
1. Yongren County 500MW/2GWh VFB System Integration Production Line Project
The first project, with an investment of 245 million yuan, will establish a state-of-the-art 500MW/2GWh vanadium flow battery system integration production line. Scheduled for completion within 12 months, the facility will include advanced production workshops for battery stacks, system integration, and quality testing. This project is expected to extend the green vanadium-titanium industrial chain and drive the high-quality development of Chuxiong Prefecture’s new energy sector.
2. Yongren County 300MW/1200MWh VFB Energy Storage Power Station Project
The second project, with a substantial investment of 3.382 billion yuan, will construct a 300MW/1200MWh vanadium flow battery energy storage power station. The station, set to be operational within six months, will feature 600 sets of VFB container systems and have an operational lifespan of 25 years. It is projected to deliver an annual charging capacity of 720 million kWh and an annual discharging capacity of 504 million kWh. Once completed, it will be the largest VFB energy storage power station in China, complementing the existing 300MW/600MWh independent energy storage demonstration project in Yongren County, which uses lithium iron phosphate batteries. Together, these projects will optimize Yunnan’s largest “source-grid-load-storage” integrated new energy cluster, ensuring efficient absorption and distribution of clean energy.
Economic and Environmental Benefits
The combined projects are expected to generate an annual output value of approximately 4.3 billion yuan, contribute 250 million yuan in taxes, and create over 200 local jobs. Beyond the economic impact, these initiatives will significantly enhance the region’s power system peak-shaving capabilities and improve the flexibility of “source-grid-load-storage” coordinated dispatch, ensuring a more stable and reliable energy supply.