At the construction site in Yichang High tech Zone, Hubei Province, the roar of excavators is announcing the rise of a new landmark in the global energy storage industry. On April 23, 2026, the second phase of the Far East Power Super Factory project officially broke ground, with plans to add 60GWh of energy storage cells and 60GWh of AI energy storage system capacity. By adding a 40GWh project, this base with a total investment of over 24.2 billion yuan will form a total production capacity of 100GWh, becoming the world's first 100 GWh level energy storage full industry chain base. This is not only the second major setback for Far East Energy within six months, but also marks the acceleration of China's hydropower heart's transformation into a global energy storage capital.

Technological leap, AI reconstruction of energy boundaries

The core competitiveness of the Phase II project lies in reshaping the essence of energy storage. Unlike traditional capacity expansion, Far East Power will focus on the world's largest square shell wound energy storage battery with a capacity of 790Ah, and will be equipped with third-generation silicon carbide PCS and AI temperature control technology. This system can achieve an energy efficiency of over 92%, reducing the site area by 37.6% and increasing grid efficiency by over 50%.

Even more disruptive is the implantation of AI brains. Zhao Weijun, President of Far East Power China, emphasized that AI is not simply a combination of algorithms, but needs to delve into the physical essence of energy storage systems. Through the dual wheel drive of the Yuanjing Tianji Meteorological Model and the Tianshu Energy Model, the system has achieved high-precision meteorological forecasting at the kilometer and minute levels, with an accuracy improvement of 30% compared to traditional meteorological sources. The integration of physical AI and full stack self-developed technology is driving the evolution of energy storage from an energy transporter to a smart energy manager.

Cost Revolution and Industrial Fusion

Scale effect and technological iteration are driving a significant decrease in energy storage costs. Qian Zhenhua, President of Yuanjing Power Energy Storage Battery, estimates that a production capacity of 100 GWh will reduce battery manufacturing costs by 15% to 20%, optimize AI operations by 10% to 15%, and achieve a comprehensive cost reduction target of over 30%. This will significantly improve the IRR of energy storage stations and clear economic barriers for the construction of new power systems.

Yichang's ambitions are not limited to this. Huang Jianxiong, Secretary of the Yichang Municipal Party Committee, pointed out at the groundbreaking ceremony that the implementation of the Vision Project is a key step for Yichang to implement the three major strategies of dual carbon leadership, hub empowerment, and strong production and development. Relying on projects such as Yuanjing and Chu Neng New Energy, the local planned battery production capacity has exceeded 200GWh. Keywords: energy storage base, new energy

Fang Chong, Senior Vice President of Yuanjing Energy, said that choosing Yichang is not only because it has abundant green power resources, but also because it has a complete industrial chain and efficient government services. It is expected that by 2027, after full operation, the annual output value of the base will meet the electricity demand of 10 million households, helping Yichang to rise from the capital of hydropower to a highland of digital energy industry with a value of billions.Editor/Cheng Liting