The 2025 World Energy Storage Conference commenced in Ningde, China, on September 17, under the theme “New Era of Storage, Zero-Carbon Future”. The conference served as a pivotal platform where industry leaders and experts gathered to discuss the critical role of energy storage in the global energy transition. A key highlight was the global release of the International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA) first-ever dedicated energy storage report, titled “Photovoltaics and Storage Powering the Energy Transition,” which was compiled with the participation of leading Chinese companies like CATL.
The report and conference discussions emphasized that with the dramatic cost reduction of utility-scale solar PV and storage projects, “PV + storage” is becoming the most economical form of green energy. Experts pointed out that as the share of variable renewable energy like wind and solar grows, energy storage is evolving from a supportive player to the core engine of the new power system. The industry is witnessing a “blooming” of diverse technological pathways beyond lithium-ion, including flow batteries and compressed air storage, to meet the rising demand for long-duration energy storage (LDES). It was noted that when the share of renewables in generation exceeds 20%, storage systems of 4 hours or more become a necessity.
Concurrently, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released the “*New Energy Storage Technology Development Roadmap (2025-2035)*,” charting the course for the industry’s evolution towards larger capacity, longer duration, and technological diversification. The roadmap sets ambitious targets, aiming for China’s cumulative new energy storage installation to surpass 180 GW by 2027 and reach over 240 GW by 2030.
Add comment