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

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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.

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