Hebei launches innovative liquid air energy storage

North China's Hebei province has implemented a new liquid air energy storage technology as a fresh solution for energy storage.

The liquid air energy storage power station in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei, was connected to the grid on Dec 31 after three months of trial operation, according to its operator, Hebei Jiantou Energy Technology.

The technology cools air to minus 170 C to transform it into a liquid when energy needs to be stored. When power is needed, the liquid air is heated back into a gas, which generates electricity as it expands, according to the company's general manager Wang Zhenxing, as quoted in a report by Hebei Daily on Friday.

The grid connection marks China's first successful trial operation of this type of power station, filling the domestic gap in this technological field, according to the Hebei provincial department of science and technology.

Operational data showed that the station's power generation capacity reached 1,000 kilowatts, generating 1,000 kWh per hour.

Hebei is a province rich in renewable energy generation. Its wind and photovoltaic power exceed 100 million kW, accounting for over 60 percent of the province's installed capacity.

The province is accelerating the deployment of various energy storage technologies, such as pumped hydropower storage, compressed air storage and hydrogen energy storage, to address the challenge of large-scale energy grid integration, Hebei Daily reported.

"Compared to conventional storage methods, liquid air energy storage offers more site selection flexibility and higher energy storage density," Wang said, adding that they will accelerate the implementation of liquid air energy storage in new application scenarios.