Pioneering energy storage system lights up 'roof of the world'

A quiet energy revolution is unfolding on the roof of the world, where low-oxygen air and merciless winters have long dictated the rhythm of life.

The world’s first intelligent photovoltaic and energy storage power station with grid-forming capabilities — tailored to ultra-high altitudes, low-temperatures, and weak power grids — has been connected to the grid in Ngari Prefecture, Southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region.

Developed by Shenzhen-based tech giant Huawei, this groundbreaking system has rewritten the rules of power delivery in extreme conditions — especially in a place like Ngari, which has an average altitude of about 4,700 meters above sea level.

Ngari’s connection to the regional power grid relies on a single 110-kilovolt line that stretches 500 kilometers. This creates a weak and unstable grid, a critical challenge for a prefecture that has a high proportion of new energy installations.

For example, the output of a 30MW solar power project was previously capped at 1.5MW, far below capacity. Moreover, equipment cooling and operation are hampered by air pressure and low oxygen.

Stepping in where conventional power solutions have fallen short, this innovative power station is more than just a storage system. From an engineering perspective, it functions as a digital power plant, stabilizing the local grid by generating its own voltage and frequency signals.

Now, output from the 30MW solar power project has increased to 12MW from 1.5MW.

“Over 10 days of monitoring, Huawei’s grid-forming energy storage system maintained voltage and frequency stability through more than 40 major grid disturbances, achieving 100% reliability,” said Yang Mingsheng, general manager of the project.

This grid-forming tech grown in Xizang, with 2,522 MWh of grid-forming energy storage capacity built there in 2024, becoming China’s first large-scale application of such technology.

Also, it has gained global recognition. In Saudi Arabia, the grid-forming system has enabled the world’s largest 100% new energy microgrid project, which has stably operated for over 21 months and supplied over 1.5 billion kWh of green electricity. (Xinhua)