At the 2025 SNEC ES+ energy storage exhibition in Shanghai, Taoke New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. attracted steady visitor flows despite being founded only in 2018. The company has completed more than 40 ESS projects worldwide and achieved scale in Japan after transitioning from photovoltaic monitoring systems to a full energy storage systems integrator focused on commercial, industrial (C&I) and grid-side applications.
“We started in PV monitoring, but that business offered limited value,” said founder and CEO Lu Jianzou. “After entering storage in 2018 and running pilot projects, we shifted our strategy to grid-scale ESS, where there is greater system-level value.”
That strategy has begun to bear fruit. In March, it signed a 350MWh procurement agreement with CATL for liquid-cooled storage batteries, followed by a renewed 300MWh annual contract in February 2025, covering C&I and grid applications.
The company differentiates itself through its in-house EMS（energy management system） and SmartOM（remote monitoring platform）. “With higher renewable penetration, storage value lies beyond hardware — in dispatch, control, optimisation and integration,” Lu said, adding that software could become a stronger competitive driver than hardware.
Taoke’s EMS adopts a dual-module design with five-level fault-tolerant capabilities,, ensuring high system performance and reliability. It supports instantaneous frequency modulation response and enables efficient energy management. By integrating in-house software and premium hardwares from leading suppliers, Taoke provides grid-side solutions that are efficient, smart and secure.
Japan’s stringent safety requirements and fast-response standards have made this integrated “software + hardware” approach particularly valuable. The national shift from FIT (feed-in tariff) to FIP (feed-in premium) since 2023 has incentivised C&I users to seek storage solutions for price arbitrage. Taoke’s projects in Kagawa and Hyogo were designed to align with these policy changes.
“Japan is a strong testing ground for technology and business models,” Lu noted. “Its rules are mature but highly localised. We must adapt rather than copy.”
To strengthen localisation, the company established TAOKE ENERGY Co., Ltd. in Japan to provide technical support and after-sales service. It is also entering the country’s aggregator market, which is mandatory for all storage systems participating in electricity trading. Lu said the company aims “to become one of Japan’s leading aggregators and be part of future grid resource coordination”.
Beyond Japan, Taoke intends to expand into Southeast Asia, Europe and potentially North America under a “dual track” strategy targeting both C&I and grid-scale storage. But Lu cautioned that “replication does not mean duplication — each market requires tailored localisation to pricing systems, policy frameworks and grid structures”.
Domestically, China’s storage market has seen intensifying price competition. Lu believes the sector’s turning point will depend on “policy, technology and demand structure”. “The winners will not be the cheapest, but those who deliver lifespan, safety, intelligent operations and resilience,” he said.
Taoke is building an AI-based O&M platform and exploring integration of storage with PV+ESS and standalone ESS. Its virtual power plant (VPP) platform, to be commercialised in China in the near future, aggregates distributed energy for peak shifting and provides extra revenue to users.
As of the reporting period, Taoke has successfully implemented 27 C&I ESS projects and 12 grid-scale ESS projects in Japan. The total number of grid-scale ESS projects under development has exceeded 65, with a total capacity surpassing 1,130 MWh. Though still modest compared with industry giants, its software capabilities, localisation strategy and focus on high-value scenarios still may help it carve out a distinctive position.
“Future competition will be about value, not price,” Lu said.
