As the transition to new energy accelerates, the construction of new energy storage systems continues unabated. Standalone energy storage, a core segment, is now entering a golden period of development. Multiple listed companies have intensively disclosed their business layouts and project progress, indicating rising industry momentum.
On March 4, Shenzhen Nanshan Power Co., Ltd. disclosed on an interactive platform that the first phase of its standalone energy storage power station project in Zhongshan Nanlang, with a capacity of 100MW/200MWh, officially commenced commercial operation in June 2025. Currently, the company is continuously building and solidifying its operational and development capabilities in the energy storage business, with related projects progressing steadily.
Listed companies are intensifying their efforts. A representative from Hunan Corun New Energy Co., Ltd. stated that the company will rely on its established large-scale energy storage ecosystem innovation consortium to continue advancing in standalone energy storage power stations, providing advanced energy storage system products. Simultaneously, it will continue to explore an integrated model combining production, financing, investment, construction, and operation to accelerate scenario and technological innovation.
On March 3, Sichuan Jinshi Technology Co., Ltd. announced its plan to invest, using its own or raised funds through a subsidiary, in a 200MW/400MWh electrochemical standalone energy storage power station project in Guangdong Province. The total project investment is planned to be approximately 500 million yuan, constructed in one phase with an expected construction period of about six months.
Jinshi Technology stated that this planned investment in the standalone energy storage station is a key move for the company's transition from being an energy storage equipment supplier to a dual-drive model of "equipment + operation." The project features a clear business model and significant industrial chain synergies, which will help the company tap into new performance growth points, enhance core competitiveness, and strengthen sustainable development capabilities.
Qingdao Eastsoft Communication Technology Co., Ltd. previously announced that its secondary subsidiary, Guangdong Hongqingrun Energy Storage Co., Ltd., plans to invest in the construction of the National New Energy Storage Innovation Center Foshan Nanhai Demonstration Base. The project involves building a new 200MW/400MWh grid-side standalone energy storage station along with other related ancillary facilities. The estimated dynamic investment for the project is 453 million yuan, with a planned construction period of six months.
"The concentrated efforts by listed companies in standalone energy storage are primarily driven by policy support, rigid demand from the power system, and increasingly clear profit models. Mechanisms like capacity tariffs, peak-valley arbitrage, and ancillary services are making project returns more stable, creating new performance growth points," said Ding Zhenyu, Senior Investment Advisor at Jufeng Investment.
Policies are providing comprehensive support. Chu Pan, an expert committee member of the Energy Storage Application Branch of the China Industrial Association of Power Sources, stated that since the beginning of 2026, multiple provinces have issued capacity tariff policies, ensuring stable returns for standalone energy storage projects. When combined with revenues from spot markets and ancillary services markets, the internal rate of return for standalone projects in several provinces is close to 8%, with a trend of further increase. Stable projects with growth expectations are key attractions for investors.
At the national level, support is also being actively enhanced. In January 2026, the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration jointly issued the "Notice on Improving the Capacity Tariff Mechanism on the Generation Side," which, for the first time at the national level, explicitly establishes a capacity tariff mechanism for grid-side standalone new energy storage.
On March 4, Southern Power Grid Energy Storage Co., Ltd. announced that during an institutional investor briefing on February 27, it stated that overall, after the implementation of the notice, the operation of pumped storage power stations will become more market-oriented. Concurrently, the notice proposes a national-level capacity tariff policy for grid-side standalone new energy storage, which is expected to promote its development. Furthermore, the notice sets principle-based regulations for price policies concerning pumped storage and grid-side standalone new energy storage, with specific implementation details to be further clarified by provincial authorities. The company will optimize its development strategies for pumped storage and new energy storage based on the new tariff policies and the progress of new energy development, continuously enhancing value creation under market conditions.
"Currently, China's standalone energy storage projects are in a phase of rapid growth, with a relatively stable trend. These projects hold a dual identity as both power source and load, primarily based on electrochemical storage, offering excellent regulation capabilities and fast response characteristics, providing crucial support for the new power system," said Chu Pan.
However, challenges remain. Chu Pan pointed out issues such as uneven system integration capabilities and unguaranteed system efficiency, which can lead to unstable returns for some projects. Additionally, insufficient investment in safety measures may compromise the long-term stable operation of some standalone storage projects. Moreover, limited capability in managing battery degradation can result in overly rapid system deterioration, affecting long-term project returns.
Ding Zhenyu also noted that standalone energy storage construction faces challenges including insufficient profit stability, grid connection and dispatch issues in some regions, pressure on project returns from raw material and financing costs, and the need for further refinement of technical standards and business models.