Notice of the National Energy Administration on Promoting the Grid Connection and Dispatch of New Energy Storage

Guonengfa Technology [2024] No. 26

Energy bureaus of all provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government), development and reform commissions of relevant provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government) and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, competent departments of industry and information technology, urban management commissions, dispatched agencies, and relevant central enterprises:

In order to thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, accelerate the planning and construction of new energy systems, and implement the "Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the Development of New Energy Storage"(Development and Reform Energy Regulation [2021] No. 1051),"New Energy Storage Project Management Specifications (Interim)"(Guonengfa Science and Technology Regulation [2021] No. 47), the "Notice on Further Promoting the Participation of New Energy Storage in the Power Market and Dispatch Application"(Development and Reform Office Operation [2022] No. 475) relevant requirements, standardize the grid-connected access of new energy storage management, optimize the dispatch operation mechanism, give full play to the role of new energy storage, and support the construction of new power systems. The relevant matters are hereby notified as follows.

1. Overall requirements

Accurate grasp of the functional positioning of new energy storage. New energy storage refers to the energy storage technology except pumped storage, which mainly outputs electric power and provides external services. It has the advantages of short construction period, flexible layout, fast response speed, and can play a variety of functions in the operation of power system, such as peak regulation, frequency regulation, voltage regulation, standby, black start, and inertia response. It is an important supporting technology for the construction of new power systems. With the rapid growth of installed capacity, the role of new energy storage in promoting new energy development and digestion and the safe and stable operation of power system is gradually emerging. We should normalize the grid management of new energy storage and continuously improve the dispatching mechanism of new energy storage in combination with the functional positioning of new energy storage and market requirements, to ensure the reasonable and efficient utilization of new energy storage and strongly support the construction of new power systems.

The scope of new energy storage under the dispatch of power system should be clarified. New energy storage connected to the power system and signed dispatching agreement can be divided into two categories: new energy storage under dispatching call and new energy storage for self-use by power plants. New energy storage under dispatching call refers to new energy storage with independent metering devices and operating in accordance with the results of market clearing or the instructions of power dispatching agencies, including independent energy storage power stations, new energy supporting storage with the condition of independent operation, etc.; New energy storage for self-use by power plants refers to new energy storage jointly operated with power generation enterprises and users, and new energy storage controlled by power generation enterprises and users according to their own needs, including new energy supporting storage that is not operated independently, thermal power frequency modulation energy storage, and user-side energy storage with the capability of accepting dispatching instructions.

2. Strengthen the grid connection and dispatch operation management of new energy storage

(III) Standardize access management for grid connection of new energy storage. Grid companies and power dispatching agencies must formulate detailed rules for grid connection of new energy storage, as well as guidelines for grid connection services, clarifying the grid connection process, related standards, and grid connection test requirements. In accordance with the principles of mutual benefit, consensus, and ensuring safe operation of the power system, the power dispatching agency shall organize acceptance tests for grid connection of new energy storage and sign a grid dispatching agreement. The new energy storage shall complete all grid connection tests within the specified time after grid connection.

(4) Optimize new energy storage dispatching methods. Power dispatching agencies should formulate new energy storage dispatching operation procedures according to system demand, scientifically determine new energy storage dispatching operation methods, and fairly dispatch new energy storage regulating resources. Actively support the development of joint dispatching modes such as new energy + energy storage, aggregate energy storage, and integrated photo storage charging, and give priority to dispatching new energy storage pilot demonstration projects to give full play to the value of various types of energy storage. When dispatching new energy storage, for new energy storage participating in the electricity market, the operation of the new energy storage shall be arranged according to the market clearing results. For new energy storage that does not yet meet the conditions for participating in the electricity market, it should be dispatched by dispatching instructions. In case of an accident (event) that endangers the safety of the power system and other necessary situations, all new energy storage within the scope of dispatching regulation shall be uniformly and directly dispatched by the power dispatching agency, and the independent energy storage charging and discharging price mechanism shall be implemented during direct dispatching.

(V) Strengthen the Operation Management of New Energy Storage: When formulating or revising the electricity market rules or the Implementation Details for Management of Electric Power Auxiliary Services; Implementation Details for Management of Grid-connected Operation, the specific implementation details for assessment of each type of new energy storage should be made clear and specified. New energy storage shall timely report the operation information as required by the electricity dispatching institution, and the electricity dispatching institution shall regularly push the application of the new energy storage to the national big data platform of new energy storage.

3. Clarify the technical requirements for grid connection and scheduling of new energy storage

(6) Standardize technical requirements for accessing the grid of new energy storage systems. New energy storage access systems shall comply with the requirements for the safe and stable operation of the power system, and complete the corresponding performance tests and grid connection tests. New energy storage equipment shall meet the requirements of relevant national and industrial technical standards and management specifications to ensure safe and stable operation. New energy storage project entities shall formulate detailed operation and maintenance procedures, on-site operation procedures, accident contingency plans, emergency management measures, and shutdown maintenance plans, and report them regularly to the power dispatching agency.

(7) Clarify the technical requirements for new energy storage scheduling and operation. New energy storage should be equipped with a power control system or a coordinated control system. All new energy storage within the scope of regulation should have the ability to automatically adjust active power and reactive power in accordance with dispatch instructions, be connected to AGC, AVC and other systems of the power dispatch agency to accept and execute dispatch instructions, and have information security protection measures. The scheduling principles for new energy storage for the allocation and construction of new energy bases are implemented in accordance with the "Technical Guidelines for New Energy Storage Planning for Power Transmission and Allocation of New Energy Bases"(NB/T 11194-2023).

(VIII) Encourage the retrofitting of stock new energy storage technologies. Encourage the retrofitting of stock new energy storage technologies to enable them to receive dispatch instructions. After meeting the relevant technical conditions, the electricity dispatching agency should carry out new energy storage grid connection and dispatching work in a timely manner.

(IX) Promote innovation of energy storage smart regulation technology. Combing the demand of multi-scene and market-oriented operation of new-type energy storage, we will actively carry out the R&D of collaborative optimization scheduling technology between a new-type energy storage system and other power sources, the key technology of scale-storage system clustering intelligent scheduling, the technology for active power grid support based on new-type energy storage, the technology of distributed energy storage virtual power stations such as electric vehicles and the interaction and regulation technology, etc. Focus on promoting the application of new technologies.

4. Strengthen the grid connection of new energy storage and dispatch coordination and guarantee

(10) Strengthen the management of new energy storage projects. Provincial energy authorities should work with relevant units to strengthen the construction of a management system for new energy storage projects and strengthen the planning, filing, construction, operation, and dispatching management of new energy storage in the region.

(11) Improve grid connection service for new energy storage. Grid companies and power dispatching institutions should provide grid access services to new energy storage fairly and without discrimination, provide technical guidance, optimize grid access processes, and ensure safe and efficient grid connection for new energy storage.

(XII) Promote the utilization of new energy storage in a marketized manner. All localities should fully consider the characteristics of new energy storage, speed up the improvement and perfection of the relevant details for the participation of new energy storage in the electric energy market and ancillary services market, increase the variety of transaction products, and consider the supporting policies and the electricity supply and demand situation. Through flexible and effective market-based means, new energy storage can be promoted to "integrate multiple uses and reuse at different times", further enriching the marketized business model of new energy storage.

(13) Strengthening the supervision and management of the grid dispatching of novel energy storage. The dispatched agency of the National Energy Administration and the provincial energy authorities shall each strengthen the supervision and management of the grid connection and dispatch operation of novel energy storage. They shall establish a sound coordination mechanism for the management of the grid connection and dispatch operation of novel energy storage, and coordinate the handling of relevant disputes. Any major issues discovered in the work shall be reported to the National Energy Administration in a timely manner.

This notice will come into effect as of the date of promulgation and will be valid for five years.

National Energy administration

April 2, 2024