World’s First Gigawatt-Hour-Scale Flow Battery Project Enters Operation in China

China has brought the world’s first gigawatt-hour-scale flow battery project into operation, marking a major milestone for long-duration energy storage and grid-scale renewable integration. The Jimusaer Vanadium Flow Battery Energy Storage Project, located in China’s Xinjiang autonomous region, has officially begun operations at full capacity.

The project is jointly delivered by technology provider Dalian Rongke Power and infrastructure developer China Three Gorges Corporation, two key players in China’s clean energy expansion.

 

Project scale and technical configuration

 

The Jimusaer facility has a power rating of 200 MW and an energy capacity of 1,000 MWh, providing five hours of continuous discharge. It uses vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) technology, which is designed for long-duration storage and high cycling without the degradation typically associated with lithium-ion systems.

According to Rongke Power, the system enables excess renewable electricity to be stored during periods of high solar output and dispatched during peak demand, improving overall grid stability.

 

Integration with large-scale solar generation

 

The battery installation is paired with a nearby 1 GW solar photovoltaic plant, forming part of an integrated solar-plus-storage demonstration project. Project manager Wang Lei of China Three Gorges New Energy Jimsar Power Generation described the site as having transformed “a barren stretch of land into a super power bank in less than three years.”

The coordinated operation of the battery system is expected to increase solar PV utilisation by around 9 percent by enabling more effective shifting of daytime generation into evening peak demand periods.

 

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Emissions and energy system impact

 

China Three Gorges Corporation estimates that the project will enable the grid integration of approximately 220 million kWh of additional renewable electricity each year. This is expected to replace the combustion of about 519,000 tonnes of coal annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 1.42 million tonnes per year.

The facility also incorporates intelligent thermal management systems and a digital twin platform for operations and maintenance, supporting reliable performance in Xinjiang’s challenging climate conditions.

 

Investment and commissioning clarity

 

According to insights shared by the global vanadium trade association Vanitec, total investment in the Jimusaer project is reported at RMB 3.8 billion. The system reportedly consists of two VRFB subsystems, one rated at 150 MW/750 MWh and the other at 50 MW/250 MWh, both connected to a 220 kV substation.

While elements of the project were reported as commissioned earlier, confirmation from both Rongke Power and China Three Gorges indicates the full system is now operating at rated output.

 

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China’s growing lead in flow battery deployment

 

Rongke Power stated that the Jimusaer project demonstrates VRFB technology can operate reliably at a previously unprecedented scale. With this project, the company has now connected more than 3.5 GWh of flow battery capacity, all within China.

This includes earlier large-scale deployments such as a 100 MW/400 MWh project in Dalian commissioned in 2022 and a 175 MW/700 MWh project in Wushi that entered operation in late 2024. These installations far exceed the size of flow battery projects currently operating in North America, Europe, or Australia.

 

Implications for global energy storage markets

 

The Jimusaer project reinforces China’s dominance not only in lithium-ion batteries and solar manufacturing, but also in vanadium supply chains and long-duration storage technologies. While most flow battery projects outside China remain in the tens of megawatt-hours range, developments such as a proposed 1.6 GWh project in Switzerland suggest growing international interest.

For global power systems facing rising renewable penetration, the commissioning of a gigawatt-hour-scale flow battery signals that alternatives to lithium-ion are beginning to scale, offering new pathways for reliable, low-carbon electricity systems.