Recently, five departments, including the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration, jointly issued the "Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Development of Energy Storage Technology and Industry" (hereinafter referred to as the "Guiding Opinions"), which clarifies the significance, overall requirements, key tasks, and safeguard measures for promoting the development of energy storage technology and industry in China.
The "Guiding Opinions" state that energy storage is an important component and key supporting technology for smart grids, energy systems with a high proportion of renewable energy, and "Internet+" smart energy. Energy storage is an important means of enhancing the flexibility, economy, and safety of traditional power systems, a key technology for promoting the transition of primary energy from fossil fuels to renewable energy, and a core foundation for building energy internet, advancing power system reform, and fostering new energy business models. In recent years, China's energy storage sector has shown a positive trend of diversified development and has generally laid the foundation for industrialization.
The "Guiding Opinions" emphasize the need to focus on the overall and long-term development needs of the energy industry, closely center on reform and innovation, prioritize institutional breakthroughs, base efforts on technological innovation, and utilize application demonstrations as a means to vigorously develop "Internet+" smart energy and promote the development of energy storage technology and industry. Key tasks include promoting the research and demonstration of energy storage technology and equipment, advancing application demonstrations that improve the utilization of renewable energy through energy storage, enhancing the flexibility and stability of power systems via energy storage, upgrading intelligent energy use through energy storage, and supporting diversified energy storage applications for energy internet demonstrations. These efforts aim to build a modern energy industry system that is "clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient," contribute to the supply-side structural reform of China's energy industry, and drive changes in energy production and utilization. At the same time, they will foster the development of the entire industrial chain—from material preparation to system integration—providing new momentum for improving industrial development levels and driving economic and social progress.
The "Guiding Opinions" also require that all relevant units follow the basic principles of "government guidance with enterprise participation," "innovation-driven development with demonstration projects going first," "market orientation supported by reforms," and "overall planning with coordinated development." Concrete measures such as strengthening organizational leadership, improving policies and regulations, carrying out pilot demonstrations, establishing compensation mechanisms, guiding social investment, and advancing market reforms should be taken to effectively promote the development of energy storage technology and industry. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, a number of pilot demonstration projects of different technology types and application scenarios will be established, a series of key technologies and core equipment will be developed, a set of key technical specifications and standards for energy storage will be formed, replicable business models will be explored, and a group of competitive market players will be cultivated. These efforts will bring the energy storage industry into the initial stage of commercialization, with the key role of energy storage in transforming the energy system becoming initially evident. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, a relatively complete industrial system will be formed, with full mastery of internationally leading energy storage technologies and core equipment, well-established technical and standard systems, and the flourishing development of various energy storage business models based on electricity and energy markets. A number of internationally competitive market entities will emerge, the energy storage industry will achieve large-scale development, and the full role of energy storage in driving energy transformation and the development of the energy internet will be comprehensively demonstrated.
