Driven by the coordinated development of the Beijing Tianjin Hebei region and the construction of a new power system, the construction of Hebei as a new energy powerhouse has added another heavy weight - the pumped storage project with a total investment of 7.5 billion yuan has officially confirmed its winning bid. As the most mature and economically efficient large-scale energy storage method, this project will rely on Hebei's unique geographical conditions and abundant new energy resources to build an energy ecosystem for the coordinated development of "wind, solar, and energy storage". It will not only install a "super power bank" for the regional power system, but also become a benchmark project to promote energy supply and upgrade, and help achieve the "dual carbon" goal.

Anchor the pain points of energy transformation

As the proportion of new energy sources such as wind power and photovoltaics continues to rise in the power structure of Hebei, the pressure of grid regulation caused by their volatility and intermittency is becoming increasingly prominent. As of now, the cumulative grid connected installed capacity of renewable energy in Hebei has reached 140 million kilowatts, and the scale of wind and photovoltaic installed capacity has exceeded 100 million kilowatts. There is an urgent need for strong energy storage and regulation facilities to solve the problems of "wind and solar power curtailment" and power peak valley difference. The pumped storage project that has been finalized this time is a strategic layout that precisely meets this core demand.

The project plans to construct core facilities such as upper and lower reservoirs, underground powerhouses, and water transmission systems. The surplus electricity generated during low electricity loads will be pumped to the upper reservoir for storage. During peak electricity consumption periods, water will be released to generate electricity, achieving efficient conversion between electricity and gravitational potential energy. Its 7.5 billion yuan investment will focus on the localization of core equipment and the construction of intelligent control systems. It is expected that the total installed capacity after completion will reach 1.2 million kilowatts, with an annual power generation of over 1.8 billion kilowatt hours. It can save about 90000 tons of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 210000 tons per year, which is equivalent to equipping the power grid with a "all-weather, large capacity" flexible regulating power supply.

As an important component of the Hebei pumped storage planning and construction matrix, the implementation of this project further consolidates Hebei's position as the largest pumped storage planning and construction scale in the country. At present, Hebei has formed a construction pattern of 25 pumped storage projects with a total scale of 29.97 million kilowatts, with a total investment of over 200 billion yuan, gradually building an energy storage and regulation network covering the whole province.

Technological innovation+collaborative mode

The core highlight of this project lies in the dual breakthrough of "technology localization" and "mode synergy". The key equipment used in the project, such as reversible generator sets and high-voltage transformers, is 100% made of domestic technology. The intelligent control system can achieve a second level response to changes in grid load, effectively smoothing out fluctuations in wind and solar power output, and solving the pain point of "relying on the weather to make a living" in new energy generation. Relying on the abundant mountainous resources in Hebei, the project has optimized its site selection and design. Through scientific planning of the distance to height ratio between the upper and lower reservoirs, the energy conversion efficiency has been increased to over 70%, reaching an advanced level in China.

In terms of operation mode, the project innovatively constructs a collaborative system of "pumped storage+wind and solar new energy", forming complementary linkage with surrounding wind and photovoltaic bases. When new energy is generated and electricity is abundant, the project will use pumped storage to absorb surplus electricity; When the output of new energy is insufficient and there is a shortage of electricity, rapid water release and power generation can be used to supplement the power supply gap, which can be matched with the consumption of new energy equivalent to three times its own installed capacity. This collaborative model not only improves the consumption rate of new energy, but also enables the power grid to have the ability to regulate the entire spectrum of "long and short time", providing a replicable practical sample for building a clean and low-carbon new power system.

It is worth noting that the project integrates digital and intelligent construction concepts, uses artificial intelligence and big data technology to create a smart operation and maintenance platform, realizes real-time monitoring of equipment status, fault warning, and optimized scheduling, promotes the transformation of the pumped storage industry from "experience driven" to "data intelligent", and achieves dual breakthroughs in efficiency improvement and safety guarantee.

Leading new driving forces for regional development

The construction of this project not only has significant energy benefits, but also will release multiple dividends of economic and social development. During the construction phase, the project will directly drive the development of upstream and downstream industries such as building materials, transportation, and equipment manufacturing, and is expected to create more than 3000 job opportunities, injecting sustained momentum into the local economy; After being put into operation, it will contribute stable tax and fee income every year, while improving the power supply capacity to provide reliable guarantee for industrial production and people's livelihood electricity in the Beijing Tianjin Hebei region, supporting high-quality regional economic development.

In the long run, the demonstration effect of the project will accelerate the integration and development of pumped storage and new energy storage. According to the requirements of the "Medium - and Long Term Development Plan for Pumped Storage (2021-2035)", the total scale of pumped storage production in China will reach over 62 million kilowatts by 2025. Hebei, as the core layout area, is promoting the large-scale and intelligent development of the energy storage industry through the implementation of benchmark projects. In addition, the technical standards and construction experience formed by the project will also provide reference for the energy storage support of the "Shagehuang" new energy base, and help accelerate the construction of new power systems nationwide.

The investment of 7.5 billion yuan is not only a solid investment in Hebei's energy transformation, but also a long-term layout for green development in the future. With the commencement of the pumped storage project, Hebei will further consolidate its foundation as a strong province in new energy, and build a solid defense line for regional energy supply through the innovative path of "energy storage+new energy", contributing Hebei wisdom and Hebei solutions to the national energy transformation. In the future, this' super power bank 'will continue to release green energy and witness the historical opportunity of clean and low-carbon energy transformation.Editor/Bian Wenjun