The new compressor is described as the world’s most powerful one-piece compressed air energy storage (CAES) system, with a maximum discharge pressure of 10.1 MPa and an efficiency of 88.1%.
The Institute of Engineering Thermophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has unveiled a new type of compressor for compressed air energy storage (CAES) applications.
Described as the world’s most powerful single-unit CAES compressor, the system can reportedly achieve a maximum discharge pressure of 10.1 MPa and a rated power of 101 MW. It operates over a load range of 38.7% to 118.4% and achieves an efficiency of 88.1% at maximum discharge pressure.
“We have successfully developed the world’s first compressed air energy storage compressor with a capacity of more than 100 MW from a single unit, and have fully independent intellectual property rights,” the CAS said in a statement. “Compared to existing compressed air energy storage compressors, the individual unit power has been increased by more than 100% and the cost per unit has been significantly reduced, while also offering advantages such as high efficiency, high pressure and a wide operating range.”
According to CAS, the compressor more than doubles the capacity of a single unit over existing CAES compressors while significantly reducing per-unit costs. It also cited high efficiency, high pressure capacity and wide operating range as the system’s key benefits.
CAS added that the system has passed third-party testing conducted by a company accredited by the China National Accreditation Agency for Conformity Assessment (CNAS). Test results show that the compressor meets international standards, without further technical details about the compressor being disclosed.
China is currently leading the global implementation of large-scale CAES projects.
In May 2024, Zhongchu Guoneng Technology Co., Ltd. started. (ZCGN) the world’s largest compressed air energy storage project in Feicheng, Shandong Province, China. The $207.8 million energy storage plant has a capacity of 300 MW/1,800 MWh and uses an underground salt cavern.
Furthermore, in February 2025, a state-led consortium announced a 300 MW/1200 MWh CAES project in Xinyang, Henan Province, featuring a fully artificial underground cave – China’s first of its kind. The CNY2.15 billion ($310 million) project, backed by local state-owned Xinyang Construction Investment Group, CAES technology specialist China Energy Storage National Engineering Research Center (China Energy Storage) and two other state-owned investment companies, will be completed by the end of 2026.
The CAS itself commissioned a 100 MW CAES plant in Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, China in October 2022. A few months earlier, Chinese state energy group Huaneng, Tsinghua University and China National Salt Industry Group commissioned the Jiangsu Jintan Salt Cavern Energy Storage Project in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province. It has a storage capacity of 300 MWh and a electricity generation capacity of 60 MW.
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