When engineers started stacking 35-ton composite blocks in Jiangsu Province, few imagined they were witnessing the birth of what's now hailed as "the Lego solution to grid-scale energy storage". The recently commissioned Rudong EVx facility - the world's first operational gravity-based energy storage system - has become the energy sector's equivalent of watching a skyscraper do heavy lifting. Let's unpack this marvel of modern engineering that's turning heads from Shanghai to Silicon Valle
Contact online >>
When engineers started stacking 35-ton composite blocks in Jiangsu Province, few imagined they were witnessing the birth of what's now hailed as "the Lego solution to grid-scale energy storage". The recently commissioned Rudong EVx facility - the world's first operational gravity-based energy storage system - has become the energy sector's equivalent of watching a skyscraper do heavy lifting. Let's unpack this marvel of modern engineering that's turning heads from Shanghai to Silicon Valley.
This 25 MW/100 MWh behemoth works on a principle so elegantly simple it makes lithium-ion batteries look like overcomplicated chemistry sets. Six massive towers use excess renewable energy to stack composite blocks during off-peak hours, then convert potential energy back to electricity by lowering them when demand spikes. Think of it as a 21st-century update to pumped hydro storage, but without needing mountains or reservoirs.
Since the Rudong facility's successful 2024 commissioning, China Tianying (CNTY) has greenlit eight additional EVx projects across six provinces. This gravity storage gold rush isn't just about being cool tech - it solves three critical pain points:
As one project manager joked during construction: "Our biggest safety concern isn't explosions - it's making sure workers don't try to climb these blocks like giant Jenga towers!"
This technology's implications extend far beyond energy storage. Consider these emerging synergies:
The composite blocks incorporate coal ash and construction waste, turning environmental liabilities into storage assets. For every 100 MWh system built:
Energy Vault's Vault-OS software enables something grid operators dream about - predicting energy fluctuations 72 hours in advance with 92% accuracy. This isn't just storage; it's crystal ball meets brute force.
The project's selection as a National Energy Administration demonstration site wasn't accidental. China's energy planners recognize gravity storage's unique advantages in achieving their dual carbon goals:
As construction crews work round-the-clock on new installations, one thing's clear - in the race to decarbonize, China's betting heavy on going back to basics. Literally.
Visit our Blog to read more articles
We are deeply committed to excellence in all our endeavors.
Since we maintain control over our products, our customers can be assured of nothing but the best quality at all times.