The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, a key energy base in China, has been rapidly expanding its renewable energy capacity in recent years, driven by an abundance in wind and solar resources and a strategic push to integrate energy storage solutions.

As of the end of July, the total installed capacity of the Xinjiang power grid reached 219 million kilowatts, with renewable energy accounting for a dominant 128 million kW, or approximately 60 percent, amid the region's growing reliance on wind and solar power.

Xinjiang's vast, sparsely populated landscape and intense sunlight make it ideal for large-scale renewable energy projects. From the early wind turbines dotting the wilderness of Dabancheng, often referred to as China's wind valley, to the sprawling solar farms stretching across the Taklamakan Desert, China's largest desert, the region is witnessing a transformation in its energy landscape.

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Industry experts said Xinjiang, boasting China's largest reserves of coal and solar resources and the second-largest wind energy potential, has undergone a remarkable transition into a major national energy producer and domestic electricity provider.

As a national base for wind and solar energy, as well as coal production and oil and gas reserves, the region's development comes at a crucial time, said Lin Boqiang, head of the China Institute for Studies in Energy Policy at Xiamen University in Fujian province.

While the country's eastern coastal regions are facing growing power demand, the rapid growth of artificial intelligence has further triggered a substantial surge in electricity demand, he said.

Xinjiang is rich in clean energy, including wind and solar power. By the end of 2024, the region had transmitted more than 860 billion kilowatt-hours of power to other provincial-level regions, equivalent to 260.15 million metric tons of coal, helping recipient areas reduce 702.41 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions and 2.21 million tons of sulfur dioxide emissions.

However, the intermittent nature of wind and solar power presents a significant challenge to grid stability and reliable energy supply. To address this, Xinjiang is investing heavily in energy storage technologies to level out fluctuations and ensure the efficient utilization of green electricity.

The region's energy storage capacity is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, fueled by a boom in renewable energy projects.

The growth, in addition to bolstering energy security, also sets the stage for a more resilient and sustainable energy grid that can balance the region's vast renewable output, said Li Changling, deputy head of the energy development research center under the State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power Co's Economic and Technical Research Institute.

"This growth would position Xinjiang at the forefront of China's energy storage landscape, placing it as the national leader in installed capacity," he said.

"It comes at a pivotal moment, as China's energy storage sector is poised for explosive growth amid the country's shift towards a low-carbon energy future."

In the first half of this year alone, the Xinjiang power grid added more than 2.53 million kW/8.25 million kWh of energy storage capacity. This brings the cumulative total to around 12.07 million kW/40.022 million kWh, making Xinjiang a leader in energy storage deployment in China.

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The development of energy storage is not only crucial for grid stability, but also for maximizing the economic benefits of renewable energy. By storing excess electricity generated during peak production periods, Xinjiang can ensure a consistent supply of green power, reducing reliance on traditional fossil fuels and lowering carbon emissions.

Li said the utilization rate for these new energy sources in the region, which is expected to add 100 gigawatts of new renewable capacity during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), could fall below 68 percent without effective measures such as energy storage.

Xinjiang has also been stepping up efforts to diversify its storage technologies in recent years, with compressed air, flywheel and gravity storage systems progressively coming online. This signals a diverse and versatile approach to energy storage applications, Li said.

Contact the writer at zhengxin@chinadaily.com.cn