China’s first major energy storage station powered by sodium-ion batteries has begun operating, according to its manufacturer, marking a step forward in commercializing a technology that may reduce reliance on pricey lithium, reports Caixin. The first phase of the Fulin Sodium-ion Battery Energy Storage Station entered operation on May 11 in Nanning, the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.
The facility will store excess power generated by renewable projects such as solar and wind and send it to the grid when there is demand. Currently in its first phase, it can store up to 10 megawatt-hours (MWh) of power in one go, enough to meet the daily electricity needs of 1,500 households, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Once fully built out, its annual power output is expected to be 73,000 MWh, which will avoid around 50,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, according to Guangxi Power Grid Co. Ltd., the project’s investor.