World’s Largest Supercapacitor-Based Facility Enters Service in China

An energy storage facility in China that combines supercapacitors and batteries has begun operations. The 100 MW hybrid facility will serve to regulate the grid frequency.

A 100 MW hybrid frequency regulation facility has entered service in China’s northern Shanxi province. Billed as the world’s largest supercapacitor-based facility, the project combines a 58 MW/30-second supercapacitor array with a 42 MW/42 MWh lithium-ion battery system. The facility, constructed on an area of approximately 16,800 square meters, was brought online with an investment of 670 million yuan ($94 million).

Located in a village in the city of Xinzhou, the facility is situated in a region known for its abundant sunlight and water resources. These features provide ideal conditions for large-scale renewable energy and storage solutions.

Supercapacitors Offer Fast Response Times and Long Lifespans

The system is controlled by an energy management system that dynamically distributes tasks between the supercapacitors and batteries. The supercapacitors handle changes on a millisecond scale, while regulation tasks on a minute scale are performed by the batteries.

Supercapacitors provide ultra-fast response times, such as 0.001 seconds, and significantly outperform lithium-ion batteries in extreme cold, retaining over 85% of their capacity at -40°C. This extends the lifespan of the batteries, with the goal of reducing life-cycle costs by 30%.

The facility’s operational targets include maintaining the grid frequency within a ±0.02 Hz limit and responding to system changes within one second. Thanks to this high-speed response capability, 1.6 GW of variable renewable energy—approximately 20 times the plant’s instantaneous power—can be integrated into the grid.

The plant is expected to generate over 120 million yuan ($16.5 million) in annual revenue, contribute around 12 million yuan in taxes, and achieve a return on investment within approximately 7 years. It was also noted that the project created over 500 jobs.

In a planned second phase, the capacity is targeted to be increased to 200 MW. The hybrid model is also planned for use in resource-rich regions like Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang, where China is rapidly expanding its large-scale renewable energy infrastructure.

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