World-first 560 C Carnot battery unveiled as SPIC launches ultra-high-temperature heat storage

Share

From ESS News

China’s State Power Investment Corp (SPIC) says it has commissioned what it calls the world’s first ultra-high-temperature heat-pump energy storage system, branded “Chuno,” after completing a megawatt-scale pilot and third-party performance testing.

SPIC’s Central Research Institute (also referred to as SPIC Science and Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.) launched the technology in Beijing on Dec. 25, describing it as a “Carnot battery” concept that couples a heat-pump cycle with a heat-engine cycle to convert electricity into stored heat and cold, then back into electricity on demand.

According to SPIC, the pilot system is rated at 1 MW/4 MWh and has completed seven full charge–discharge cycles under third-party testing by Xi’an Thermal Power Research Institute (Xi’an TPRI). The company said the system met or exceeded design targets and remained stable during the test campaign.

To continue reading, please visit our ESS News website.

 

This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.

Popular content

Batteries: The game has changed – and it’s not what you think
04 May 2026 A single benchmark no longer exists. In some cases, charging speed is what matters; in others, it is energy density, and in still others, cost and sca...