China added 42.37 GW/101.13 GWh of new storage capacity in 2024 alone
These storage systems achieved an operational benchmark of 1,000 equivalent full-load hours throughout 2024
Larger-scale energy storage projects were seen in 2024, with systems exceeding 100 MW accounting for 62.3% of total capacity
In a recent announcement, the National Energy Administration (NEA) said that the new energy storage in China has achieved a milestone in 2024, with the rise in the installed capacity to 73.76 GW/168 GWh - a 20-fold increase since the end of 2021. This is an annual growth of 130%, when compared to the 31.39 GW/66.87 GWh recorded by the close of 2023.
In 2024 alone, China added 42.37 GW/101.13 GWh of new storage capacity, with an average discharge duration of 2.3 hours, which is an improvement as compared to the 2.1 hours recorded in 2023. These storage systems achieved an operational benchmark of 1,000 equivalent full-load hours throughout the year, supporting peak shaving and stabilizing grid operations.
As per NEA, the storage deployment has also been concentrated in certain areas. Top regions in terms of cumulative installed capacity are:
Inner Mongolia leads with 10.23 GW/24.39 GWh
Xinjiang (8.57 GW/28.71 GWh)
Shandong (7.17 GW/15.55 GWh)
Jiangsu (5.62 GW/11.95 GWh), and
Ningxia (4.43 GW/8.82 GWh)
Meanwhile, 10 additional provinces, including Hebei, Zhejiang, Gansu, and Guangdong, have each exceeded 2 GW in cumulative capacity. However, the northeastern regions have faced deployment hurdles because of tough climatic conditions and infrastructure limitations.
A clear shift toward larger-scale energy storage projects became evident in the year 2024, with systems exceeding 100 MW now accounting for 62.3% of total capacity, up 10% from the previous year. Mid-sized projects (10–100 MW) make up 32.8%, while smaller installations (<10 MW) represent just 4.9%. Energy storage duration also saw significant progress, with 15.4% of installations exceeding 4 hours, 71.2% ranging between 2 and 4 hours, and only 13.4% falling below 2 hours.
China’s energy storage boom aligns with its broader renewable energy ambitions. The Power System Regulation Capacity Optimization Action Plan (2025–2027), jointly issued by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the NEA, sets an annual target of 200 GW of new renewable energy additions between 2025 and 2027, while ensuring a national renewable energy utilization rate of no less than 90%. With this, one can expect an accelerated growth of new energy storage in the coming years.