The Ruitan energy storage facility is currently under construction at the Bajiao power plant in Yantai, Shandong province. Owned by China Huaneng, the site began construction on September 16, 2026, with operations expected to commence next year.
The system utilizes molten salt for thermal storage and supercritical carbon dioxide as a working fluid. This configuration allows the plant to convert excess electricity into heat, which is then used to drive turbines during periods of peak demand.
The facility is designed with a 50 MW supercritical CO2 cycle capacity and a 100 MW molten salt thermal storage system, providing an energy reserve of 400 MWh. The setup is intended to stabilize power grid fluctuations more rapidly than traditional coal-fired systems.
China is currently testing similar technologies at other locations, including the Chaotan One project in Guizhou province, which utilizes industrial waste heat. Additionally, a molten salt buffer is being developed in Tibet to support a high-altitude solar power plant.
