Storage

Energy Vault successfully tests, commissions gravity storage system in China

Energy Vault successfully tests, commissions gravity storage system in China
Energy Vault's first commercial gravity storage system, a 25 MW/100 MWh facility in Rudong, China, at 75% completion. (Courtesy: Energy Vault)

Energy Vault announced the successful testing and commissioning of the Rudong EVx gravity energy storage system (GESS) by China Tianying Co. (CNTY). Testing included the successful charging and discharging of units of the 25 MW/100 MWh GESS invested in and built by CNTY in partnership with Energy Vault and Atlas Renewable.

In addition to the successful testing of the Rudong EVx, Energy Vault announced the extension of its EVx licensing agreement with Atlas Renewable from 7.5 to 15 years. In the last 12 months, CNTY has announced eight additional EVx GESS deployments across multiple provinces in China totaling more than 3.7 GWh, which will generate future project revenue royalty streams to Energy Vault as systems are built and commissioned.

Energy Vault CEO Robert Piconi joined Episode 45 of the Factor This! podcast to discuss the long-duration energy storage dilemma, and how his company is using gravity and green hydrogen to help crack the code. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

In January 2024, the Rudong EVx was selected as part of a list of projects with the classification of “new energy storage pilot demonstration projects” by China’s National Energy Administration (NEA). Projects selected as demonstration pilots receive increased management oversight by provincial-level energy authorities, allowing coordination for construction, data reporting, compliance, and safety measures, among other areas.

Commissioning of the 25 MW/100 MWh EVx GESS began in the second half of 2023, followed by the completion in September 2023 of the final four-kilometer 35kV Overhead Power Line to the existing Remote End Substation, the capping and completion of construction of the facility in October, and full grid interconnection in December. Upon final provincial and state approvals for the start of commercial operation to the state grid, the Rudong EVx will be the world’s first commercial, utility-scale non-pumped hydro gravity energy storage system.

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