https://www.scmp.com/rss/518862/feed Renewable energy production is growing rapidly globally thanks to technological advancement. However, intermittency of solar and wind power output has given rise to big demands for energy storage solutions such as pumped hydro-electric stations, batteries, flywheel and compressed-air energy storage. Energy storage is a key part of the low carbon energy supply system the world aspires to achieve, for cutting greenhouse gas emissions and fighting climate change. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Carol Yang Carol Yang China is strengthening gas storage capacity in Hainan as part of an expanding energy security strategy aimed at reducing exposure to external supply shocks, including disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz during the US-Israeli war in Iran. Against this backdrop, the second phase of a major liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the southern island province has reached a crucial milestone, with construction nearly 50 per cent complete and full completion expected by 2027, state broadcaster... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352611/chinas-energy-security-strategy-expands-south-how-hainan-becoming-lng-storage-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352611/chinas-energy-security-strategy-expands-south-how-hainan-becoming-lng-storage-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 01:30:11 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Canadian Solar, one of the industry’s most exposed players to US-China tensions, is expanding the role of its Hong Kong operations as it reshapes its global business to weather a deepening downturn and rising geopolitical pressure, positioning the city as a hub for financing, talent and technology development, according to its board director. The Nasdaq-listed group, founded in 2001 by Chinese entrepreneur Shawn Qu, has been grappling with increasingly stringent compliance requirements from... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3352524/canadian-solar-elevates-hong-kong-role-amid-industry-slump-and-geopolitical-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3352524/canadian-solar-elevates-hong-kong-role-amid-industry-slump-and-geopolitical-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao China Resources Power (CRP), one of the largest mainland power producers listed in Hong Kong, has received approval to spin off its renewable energy arm for a separate listing in Shenzhen, marking a key step in a years-long plan to tap capital markets amid strong demand for new energy. The Shenzhen Stock Exchange’s listing committee approved the proposed A-share offering of China Resources New Energy Holdings on April 28, according to a filing by CRP. The deal, however, still required... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3351785/china-resources-power-wins-shenzhen-nod-renewable-energy-units-listing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3351785/china-resources-power-wins-shenzhen-nod-renewable-energy-units-listing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 04:15:10 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL) has taken a leap forward in commercialising sodium-ion batteries, signing a large supply contract with an energy-storage system (ESS) provider amid high demand for power infrastructure after the global oil shock. The world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) and ESS battery maker announced on Monday that it would deliver 60 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of sodium-ion batteries to Beijing HyperStrong Technology over three years in a landmark deal for the new battery... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3351601/chinas-catl-touts-landmark-order-deepseek-moment-sodium-ion-batteries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3351601/chinas-catl-touts-landmark-order-deepseek-moment-sodium-ion-batteries?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:16:17 +0000 Chao Kong Chao Kong Chinese scientists have achieved a breakthrough in “all-iron flow battery” technology that could sharply reduce the cost of storing renewable energy while significantly extending battery lifespan. Lithium costs over 80 times more than iron as a raw industrial material at present. An iron battery may offer a potential solution to one of the biggest bottlenecks in the global energy transition, according to the researchers. A team from the Institute of Metal Research under the Chinese Academy of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351111/china-unveils-ultra-cheap-all-iron-battery-renewable-energy-storage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351111/china-unveils-ultra-cheap-all-iron-battery-renewable-energy-storage?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 03:59:44 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao China’s solar giant Sungrow Power Supply has filed a fresh application to list in Hong Kong, reviving plans initiated last year, as a wave of mainland companies seeks offshore funding to support overseas expansion. The Shenzhen-listed solar inverter and energy storage system maker submitted its latest application proof to the Hong Kong stock exchange after an earlier filing in October lapsed, according to exchange disclosures late on Friday. Sungrow, one of the world’s largest suppliers of... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3351515/chinas-solar-giant-sungrow-revives-hong-kong-ipo-plan-amid-rising-demand-clean-energy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3351515/chinas-solar-giant-sungrow-revives-hong-kong-ipo-plan-amid-rising-demand-clean-energy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 03:55:24 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Amid geopolitical tensions, China’s Tianqi Lithium has decided to skip Africa and will stick to domestic salt lakes to secure the supply of a battery mineral, according to its president Frank Ha Chun-shing. The move comes as the oil shock stemming from Middle Eastern conflicts is driving up global demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and battery energy storage systems (BESSs). Lithium, which can be extracted from hard rock and salt flat brines, can be processed into lithium carbonate, a raw... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3351363/chinas-tianqi-lithium-favour-domestic-salt-lakes-over-africa-amid-resource-nationalism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3351363/chinas-tianqi-lithium-favour-domestic-salt-lakes-over-africa-amid-resource-nationalism?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 23:30:08 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang As the US-Israel war on Iran raises global concerns about energy security, a new report has found that the clean power sector is rapidly gaining ground and emerging as a solution for nations looking to reduce their reliance on oil and gas imports. The world passed a significant turning point in 2025 as clean power generation rose faster than global demand for electricity, preventing an increase in fossil fuel generation, according to the study by London-based energy think tank Ember released on... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350759/turning-point-clean-energy-met-100-worlds-new-power-needs-2025-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350759/turning-point-clean-energy-met-100-worlds-new-power-needs-2025-report?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 23:01:07 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng Industry estimates suggest that heavy-duty cargo traffic in China is on track to become nearly 100 per cent electric, a transition that could halve the country’s road transport oil consumption. Speaking at a forum on intelligent electric vehicle development in Beijing on April 11, Liang Linhe, chairman of Sany Truck – a subsidiary of the Changsha-headquartered multinational Sany Group – said China’s heavy truck sector could eventually be almost entirely electrified, although he did not put a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350463/chinese-trucks-could-go-100-electric-halving-road-transport-oil-use-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350463/chinese-trucks-could-go-100-electric-halving-road-transport-oil-use-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:00:10 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao – https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3350411/chinas-energy-mismatch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3350411/chinas-energy-mismatch?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 04:47:44 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Ganfeng Lithium, the world’s largest producer of lithium metal, has issued a strong profit forecast for the first quarter of this year as soaring demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage system (ESS) batteries lifted earnings. The company, based in China’s central Jiangxi province, said in an exchange filing on Thursday that increasing orders had driven up prices of lithium – a key material for EV and ESS batteries – helping it post an estimated profit of 1.6 billion yuan (US$234... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350364/chinas-lithium-giant-ganfeng-sees-profit-jump-demand-evs-and-ess-batteries-soars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350364/chinas-lithium-giant-ganfeng-sees-profit-jump-demand-evs-and-ess-batteries-soars?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:40:24 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL), the world’s largest producer of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, rallied to lift its market capitalisation above 2 trillion yuan (US$293.4 billion) after creating a subsidiary to manage its mining assets, signalling a deeper push into the energy storage business. Its Shenzhen-listed shares rose 5.3 per cent to 453.98 yuan on Thursday, At 2.07 trillion yuan, the company ranks as the mainland’s fifth-largest listed firm, Shanghai DZH data shows. Its... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350269/catl-market-cap-tops-us293-billion-shares-surge-mining-arm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350269/catl-market-cap-tops-us293-billion-shares-surge-mining-arm?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 06:11:18 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Shares of Chinese energy storage system (ESS) maker Sigenergy Technology jumped 103 per cent on their Hong Kong trading debut, as concerns surrounding energy security due to the conflict in the Middle East boost demand for renewable-energy solutions. The Shanghai-based company’s shares opened at HK$581, versus its offer price of HK$324.20. It climbed further and closed at HK$659.50. The firm raised HK$4.4 billion (US$560 million) from its initial public offering. On the grey market on Wednesday... https://www.scmp.com/business/investor-relations/ipo-quote-profile/article/3350260/sigenergy-jumps-83-hong-kong-debut-rising-energy-storage-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/investor-relations/ipo-quote-profile/article/3350260/sigenergy-jumps-83-hong-kong-debut-rising-energy-storage-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 05:23:05 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi The chairmen of China’s battery and solar giants have called for more top-down regulations to rein in cutthroat competition, warning that unchecked overcapacity is squeezing profits and threatening the industry’s stability. Despite tailwinds including the Middle East conflict that could increase demand for renewable products, overcapacity remains a major challenge for industry players. Zhang Tianren, chairman of Tianneng Holding Group – ranked second behind Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3349627/chinas-battery-solar-bosses-urge-top-down-rules-overcapacity-clouds-industry-outlook?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3349627/chinas-battery-solar-bosses-urge-top-down-rules-overcapacity-clouds-industry-outlook?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:00:15 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren China’s leading battery makers have unveiled plans to add more than 600 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of new production capacity for the energy storage system (ESS) market in just the first two months of 2026, underscoring surging global demand for renewable energy infrastructure. The planned facilities – spanning major players from Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL) to Gotion High-tech – amount to roughly 10 times the 58GWh of total capacity installed across the US in 2025. According to the GGII... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349550/china-throws-switch-battery-buildout-equal-10-times-us-capacity-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349550/china-throws-switch-battery-buildout-equal-10-times-us-capacity-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:40:44 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao China’s fast-growing energy storage sector is drawing fresh interest from capital markets, with Sigenergy Technology becoming the latest to tap Hong Kong for funding, as companies ride a global push for renewable energy. The Shanghai-based firm was seeking to raise about HK$4.4 billion (US$561.6 million) via an initial public offering (IPO), according to its prospectus on Wednesday, as investor appetite builds around battery storage and smart energy systems that complement solar and electric... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349346/chinas-sigenergy-technology-seeks-us5616-million-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349346/chinas-sigenergy-technology-seeks-us5616-million-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:48:25 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Australia’s government has received guarantees from major fuel exporting nations in Asia that supplies will proceed as normal despite the disruptions caused by the war in Iran, Assistant Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Matt Thistlethwaite said. In an interview with Sky News on Sunday, Thistlethwaite said that he had sought and received pledges from Japan, South Korea and Singapore that shipments of fuel to Australia would continue, amid concerns that some countries might curb exports to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3349087/australia-receives-fuel-export-guarantees-singapore-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3349087/australia-receives-fuel-export-guarantees-singapore-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 10:31:34 +0000 Junjie Wang Junjie Wang – https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/article/3348877/strait-hormuz-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/article/3348877/strait-hormuz-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 04:26:39 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren China’s Ganfeng Lithium, the world’s largest producer of lithium metal, is envisioning an “explosive growth” in the global energy storage system (ESS) market in 2026, spurred by higher prices of the key battery material and buoyant demand for renewable energy infrastructure. Executives including president Wang Xiaoshen told an investors’ conference on Tuesday that the global decarbonisation drive had created a strong and sustainable trajectory for Ganfeng, which swung from loss to profit last... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348628/ganfeng-lithium-forecasts-strong-battery-demand-amid-china-us-rivalry-renewable-energy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348628/ganfeng-lithium-forecasts-strong-battery-demand-amid-china-us-rivalry-renewable-energy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:00:21 +0000 Genevieve Donnellon-May Genevieve Donnellon-May Amid turmoil in the Middle East, including the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil passes, Beijing is pressing ahead with its Zhuri (sun-chasing) project to build solar power stations in space. Chinese Academy of Engineering academician and senior rocket scientist Long Lehao likened this space-based solar power programme to putting the Three Gorges Dam into geostationary orbit, underscoring its extraordinary scale and ambition.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347692/why-chinas-space-based-solar-power-next-frontier-green-energy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347692/why-chinas-space-based-solar-power-next-frontier-green-energy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The amount of heat trapped by the Earth reached record levels in 2025, with the consequences of such warming feared to last for thousands of years, the UN warned on Monday. The 11 hottest years ever recorded were all between 2015 and 2025, the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO) weather and climate agency confirmed, in its flagship State of the Global Climate annual report. Last year was the second or third hottest year on record, at about 1.43 degrees Celsius above the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3347542/flashing-red-un-alarmed-heat-trapped-earth-hits-record-high?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3347542/flashing-red-un-alarmed-heat-trapped-earth-hits-record-high?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 05:03:51 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Chinese stocks have emerged as outperformers in the latest oil shock, reversing their reputation as laggards, as crude takes a back seat to renewable fuels in the world’s second-largest economy. The CSI 300 Index of stocks trading on the mainland’s exchanges has dropped 3.1 per cent since the US and Israel began attacks on Iran on February 28, outperforming the S&P 500, the Euro Stoxx 50 and Japan’s Nikkei 225, which have all slid at least 4 per cent during the period. This marked a turnaround... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347296/chinese-stocks-shake-laggard-image-amid-oil-shock-green-transition-pays?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347296/chinese-stocks-shake-laggard-image-amid-oil-shock-green-transition-pays?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 08:15:30 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li Betting on rising global demand for energy storage, shares of Chinese lithium battery makers continued to rally on Wednesday, led by Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL), which reported stronger-than-expected growth driven in part by its expansion into new energy storage markets. CATL shares surged more than 10 per cent to HK$608 during morning trading hours in Hong Kong on Wednesday – the highest level in five months – before closing 9 per cent higher at HK$599.50. That followed another 9... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346229/catl-profit-jump-fuels-hong-kong-battery-stocks-amid-global-energy-storage-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346229/catl-profit-jump-fuels-hong-kong-battery-stocks-amid-global-energy-storage-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 10:00:06 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL) reported a 42 per cent jump in net profit last year to 72.2 billion yuan (US$10.4 billion) on strong battery sales and an expansion into new energy storage scenarios. The Chinese battery giant’s sales volume of lithium-ion batteries – a key component for electric vehicles (EVs) – reached 661 gigawatt hours (GWh), up 39 per cent from the previous year, according to a filing released on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange on Monday night. China’s EV industry... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3346013/chinas-catl-profit-surges-42-battery-sales-and-expansion-boost-global-lead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3346013/chinas-catl-profit-surges-42-battery-sales-and-expansion-boost-global-lead?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 14:01:09 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen China should build an underground network across its western region to protect key energy and defence facilities, securing long-term reserves while boosting national security and crisis resilience, energy experts have said. Zhang Shishu, chief technical expert at Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina), a state-owned energy and infrastructure giant, called for critical facilities to be embedded deep beneath the Earth’s surface at a safer, less detectable level. In an article for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3345859/china-urged-build-underground-great-wall-defence-crisis-hit-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3345859/china-urged-build-underground-great-wall-defence-crisis-hit-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 08:00:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push to accelerate the roll-out of rooftop solar power is falling short of targets despite heavy subsidies due to loan delays and limited support from state utilities, vendors and analysts say. The shortfalls represent the latest challenge to India’s efforts to nearly double clean energy capacity to 500 gigawatts by 2030, and come as the government plans to suspend clean energy tendering targets amid a mounting backlog of awarded projects yet to be... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343665/indias-solar-power-push-misses-targets-red-tape-loan-refusals-hamper-transition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343665/indias-solar-power-push-misses-targets-red-tape-loan-refusals-hamper-transition?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 01:48:09 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Beijing has issued a central directive to dismantle the administrative walls dividing China’s electricity sector, signalling a decisive shift towards a unified national power market designed to support the country’s energy security and green transition. A decade into its power-sector overhaul, China is doubling down on market unity during the just-started 15th five-year planning period. These structural shifts are widely seen as indispensable to the nation’s 2030 carbon-peak target, as the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343329/china-dismantle-local-power-protectionism-push-electrify-national-grid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343329/china-dismantle-local-power-protectionism-push-electrify-national-grid?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:30:14 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China has achieved a breakthrough in its decarbonisation efforts by successfully repurposing a long-haul oil pipeline to transport carbon dioxide, in a trial run that offers a potentially scalable solution to accelerate the nation’s ambitious climate goals. The 27km (16.8-mile) route delivered carbon dioxide to an oilfield in central China’s Henan province earlier this month, according to China Oil and Gas Pipeline Network Corporation, also known as PipeChina. In an online statement, the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343072/china-turns-old-oil-pipeline-new-carbon-highway-green-cost-cutting-gambit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343072/china-turns-old-oil-pipeline-new-carbon-highway-green-cost-cutting-gambit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 02:00:11 +0000 Roberto Bocca Roberto Bocca For much of the past decade, the energy transition debate has largely revolved around one question: can clean technologies work at scale? That is increasingly being answered. Solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles (EVs) have moved into the mainstream as key technologies become more cost-effective, efficient and faster to deploy. In many markets, these energy sources are no longer the future of energy; they are the present. The challenge is no longer simply proving that more... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3340218/energy-transitions-next-big-challenge-systems-integration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3340218/energy-transitions-next-big-challenge-systems-integration?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 08:30:10 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China will cut export subsidies for solar panels and batteries in the coming months, a move mainly aimed at curbing domestic overcompetition and consolidating two sectors where China is dominant, said analysts who also expect it will help ease trade tensions with Europe. Authorities will cancel export value-added tax rebates for solar panels and lower rebates for batteries from 9 per cent to 6 per cent from April 1. The rebates for batteries will be cancelled on January 1, 2027, according to the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3339430/goodwill-or-necessity-why-china-slashing-solar-and-battery-subsidies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3339430/goodwill-or-necessity-why-china-slashing-solar-and-battery-subsidies?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Jan 2026 09:13:00 +0000 Yujie Xue,Mia Nurmamat Yujie Xue,Mia Nurmamat Wind turbines in blustery Tibet are a symbol of China’s rapid investment in renewable energy. The only problem is that much of this potential power goes to waste. Thirty per cent of Tibetan wind energy was lost in the first 10 months of last year, as production had to be paused to avoid overloading the power network. Sunny Qinghai province similarly had to curtail 16.4 per cent of its solar energy in the same period, according to China’s National Energy Administration. China is seeking to... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3338885/china-ai-mega-batteries-stoke-renewables-power-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3338885/china-ai-mega-batteries-stoke-renewables-power-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 01:00:15 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang In the Gobi Desert outside Golmud in the northwestern province of Qinghai, a row of white tanks stands tall in the open wilderness. Inside, air is compressed and cooled to -194 degrees Celsius (-317 Fahrenheit), and then it becomes liquid. When released, it expands by more than 750 times, drives turbines and generates electricity. This is the world’s largest liquid-air energy storage plant. Also known as the Super Air Power Bank, it is built by China Green Development Investment Group and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3337802/china-power-worlds-largest-super-cold-air-battery-gobi-desert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3337802/china-power-worlds-largest-super-cold-air-battery-gobi-desert?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 06:07:45 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi China’s energy storage firms, battered by a three-year price war, have been jolted by lithium battery maker Deegares, which has announced plans to raise prices by 15 per cent, a move that is sparking debate over whether the sector could be the first to break free from the “involution” cycle. Rising lithium costs were the immediate trigger, with at least three other battery makers reported in recent weeks to be planning similar increases. Prices of the metal, crucial to rechargeable batteries,... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336932/can-rising-lithium-costs-save-chinas-energy-storage-firms-brutal-price-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336932/can-rising-lithium-costs-save-chinas-energy-storage-firms-brutal-price-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 23:30:08 +0000 Andy Xie Andy Xie Renewable energy is the tech revolution of our time. It promises ubiquitous, cheap and easily accessible energy for all. The rise of the sodium-ion battery is the final piece to make this dream come true. Its low cost and reliable energy storage can make distributed and affordable electrification widely available for everyone across the world. Chinese firm CATL is on the verge of mass-producing a sodium-ion battery that can charge more than 10,000 cycles, performs between minus 40 and 70 degrees... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3334221/battery-revolution-set-spark-global-souths-century-prosperity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3334221/battery-revolution-set-spark-global-souths-century-prosperity?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 08:30:09 +0000 Natalie Chung Sum Yue Natalie Chung Sum Yue The Cop30 UN climate change conference in Belem, Brazil, concluded with a package of decisions that champions implementation and finance, yet its success is nuanced, marked by both institutional progress and political compromises over the core issue of fossil fuels. The conference, framed as the “implementation Cop” by the Brazilian presidency, turned attention away from purely text negotiations to implementing action. The world is grappling with the complex realities of executing a systemic... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3334252/how-cop30-laid-bare-new-geopolitics-climate-action?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3334252/how-cop30-laid-bare-new-geopolitics-climate-action?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 12:30:10 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng Current geopolitics might suggest that Western scientists have been in general alignment with the United States in the global race for fusion energy – but some of Europe’s top nuclear physicists are placing their bets on China. Scepticism over US fusion goals and chronic delays at the 33-nation International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project in France have created an opening for a new leader in the field, and China appears poised to fill it. Targeted for completion in 2027, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3334057/why-europes-top-nuclear-minds-are-turning-china-deliver-first-fusion-breakthrough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3334057/why-europes-top-nuclear-minds-are-turning-china-deliver-first-fusion-breakthrough?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 04:00:15 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words At dinner in Causeway Bay one evening, I overheard a young man sitting nearby talking excitedly about his experience investing in cryptocurrencies. It was encouraging to see such enthusiasm in a young Hongkonger, but I wonder if his engagement with emerging technologies is matched... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3331774/fintech-moving-fast-gen-zs-financial-literacy-must-keep-pace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3331774/fintech-moving-fast-gen-zs-financial-literacy-must-keep-pace?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2025 03:30:11 +0000 Letters Letters When I looked at the latest Our World in Data line chart on global electricity generation, one line shot up like the side of a mountain – China’s. At more than 10,000 terawatt-hours, its electricity generation towers over the United States and other countries. For those of us in Southeast Asia, it’s both awe-inspiring and unsettling. Some say this proves China’s unmatched discipline and ambition. But from this side of Asia, I see something more complex. The story is not simply about hard work –... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3331866/southeast-asia-must-find-its-own-path-sustainability-china-has?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3331866/southeast-asia-must-find-its-own-path-sustainability-china-has?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Nov 2025 03:30:10 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) start-up Stellerus Technology aims to be the world’s first provider of satellite-enabled three-dimensional wind data to help wind power, transport and insurance firms boost revenues, cut costs and manage risks, according to its founders. Stellerus, founded in 2023 by the university’s academics, would leverage China’s cost competitiveness in satellite manufacturing to make global 3D wind data collection economically viable, said Su Hui, the... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3330245/hong-kong-start-stellerus-eyes-worlds-first-supply-3d-wind-data-satellites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3330245/hong-kong-start-stellerus-eyes-worlds-first-supply-3d-wind-data-satellites?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 03:00:16 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words Living in Southeast Asia, I often see how discussions about energy security focus on oil or gas pipelines. But increasingly, the real story is elsewhere: in the quiet revolution of batteries. The ability to store energy – reliably, cheaply and at scale – will define which nations... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3329871/asia-cant-sit-back-china-wins-next-gen-battery-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3329871/asia-cant-sit-back-china-wins-next-gen-battery-race?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 03:30:08 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Openings at overseas energy storage operations flood John Yang’s screen anytime he browses recruitment websites, with listed giants and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) alike offering salaries well above those typically found in China’s manufacturing sector. “Job seeking has never felt easier. The only worry is whether the new role could last beyond next year,” joked Yang, Thailand director at a Shenzhen-based energy storage firm. Yang’s experience reflects the recent, rapid overseas... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3329425/overseas-opportunities-add-fuel-chinese-energy-storage-firms-hunt-executives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3329425/overseas-opportunities-add-fuel-chinese-energy-storage-firms-hunt-executives?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Oct 2025 06:00:16 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong The future of warfare is being powered by a quiet revolution in energy technology, and China has positioned itself at the forefront of this paradigm shift with a new tactic: combining cutting-edge solid-state battery research with strategic export controls on critical battery materials and technology set to take effect next month. China has reported a series of developments in solid-state battery technology, detailed in major research papers published since last month. These advancements include... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3329152/china-unleashes-battery-export-controls-it-makes-strides-solid-state-science?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3329152/china-unleashes-battery-export-controls-it-makes-strides-solid-state-science?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 05:00:09 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao Shares in China’s clean-energy companies, driven by policy tailwinds, show signs of catching up with a global rally that has lifted renewable equities into the ranks of this year’s top trades. The Hang Seng Shanghai-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Clean Energy Index rose about 30 per cent over the past six months, in line with the broader China market. The S&P Global Clean Energy Transition Index has jumped nearly 50 per cent over the same span, compared with 35 per cent gains in both the S&P 500 index and... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3328683/chinas-clean-energy-stocks-closing-gap-global-peers-renewables-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3328683/chinas-clean-energy-stocks-closing-gap-global-peers-renewables-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 23:30:12 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Sungrow Power Supply, the world’s largest producer of solar inverters and energy storage systems, has joined a growing number of mainland Chinese companies seeking to float shares in Hong Kong, taking advantage of the city’s stock market boom. Based in Hefei, the capital of eastern Anhui province, Sungrow led the world with 870 gigawatts of cumulative installed capacity of inverters – devices that convert the power produced by solar panels into a format of electricity that can be consumed by... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3328118/chinese-solar-inverter-and-energy-storage-giant-sungrow-seeks-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3328118/chinese-solar-inverter-and-energy-storage-giant-sungrow-seeks-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 08:42:47 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China’s clean technology is “becoming the basis of the new energy system” around the world, with the country’s monthly green tech exports hitting a record US$20 billion in August, a European think tank said. As China brings down the prices of technologies like batteries and photovoltaic solar panels, sales are surging in countries across Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa, according to a report by the UK-based think tank Ember. “Demand for clean technologies continues to skyrocket as more... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3327993/chinas-cleantech-creating-new-global-energy-system-exports-soar-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3327993/chinas-cleantech-creating-new-global-energy-system-exports-soar-report?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2025 07:30:44 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Hong Kong shipping firm Wah Kwong Maritime Transport has teamed up with a European partner to build shoreside power-supply projects in China and North Asia to capture opportunities from tightening emission regulations at ports. Wah Kwong last month formed a 50-50 joint venture with NatPower Marine, a developer of maritime energy-transition projects that is part of Luxembourg-based renewable energy firm NatPower Group. The venture aims to form partnerships to build and operate grid-connected... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3327764/hong-kong-shipper-wah-kwong-joins-push-greener-energy-ports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3327764/hong-kong-shipper-wah-kwong-joins-push-greener-energy-ports?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Oct 2025 03:30:12 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela Chinese scientists have created a new type of battery that uses hydrogen ions to store and release energy, which could offer a safer alternative to conventional lithium-based batteries. The rechargeable, room-temperature stable battery was made possible using a rare-earth-based battery electrolyte that harnesses hydride ions, or negatively charged hydrogen ions. Experimental data shows that the battery’s specific capacity – or the amount of electrical charge it can store per unit of mass or... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3326844/hydride-ion-battery-breakthrough-chinese-team-claims-6-times-capacity-lithium-ion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3326844/hydride-ion-battery-breakthrough-chinese-team-claims-6-times-capacity-lithium-ion?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 13:00:10 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong private-equity manager, Templewater, sees significant opportunities in connecting Asia’s fast-growing electric vehicle (EV) and energy-storage industries with Middle Eastern markets seeking clean-energy solutions as the region shifts away from oil reliance. Templewater, which this month held a signing ceremony in Hong Kong with Omani sovereign wealth fund Future Fund Oman for the launch of Oman’s first Energy Transition Fund, believes the fund will appeal to investors aiming to tap... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3326342/hong-kongs-templewater-eyes-middle-east-opportunities-growing-clean-energy-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3326342/hong-kongs-templewater-eyes-middle-east-opportunities-growing-clean-energy-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 03:58:35 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China, which already boasts the world’s largest energy-storage capacity, is set to nearly double that level by 2027, with an anticipated investment of 250 billion yuan (US$35 billion), according to Beijing’s latest action plan. As outlined in the action plan, China’s “new-energy storage system” capacity – primarily based on lithium-ion batteries – is set to exceed 180 gigawatts within two years, up from 95GW as of June. Released jointly by the National Development and Reform Commission and the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3325610/china-supercharge-energy-storage-tech-world-leading-advancements-2027?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3325610/china-supercharge-energy-storage-tech-world-leading-advancements-2027?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 11:00:08 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang One of the European Union’s top power systems experts, Wang Xiongfei, has come full circle after returning to China to take a leading academic role at Tsinghua University. As the newly appointed Xinghua chair professor and doctoral supervisor, Wang brings years of knowledge and experience in European power electronics and grid stability. He has led more than 40 research projects funded by the EU, Denmark, Sweden and various corporations. He has collaborated with grid companies in Germany, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3324355/europe-power-guru-wang-xiongfei-returns-china-bringing-expertise-grid-stability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3324355/europe-power-guru-wang-xiongfei-returns-china-bringing-expertise-grid-stability?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Sep 2025 04:00:08 +0000