The China Tianying Rudong Gravity Energy Storage Project, located in Yangkou town, Rudong county, Nantong, is the world's first 26MW gravity energy storage facility. With a total investment of 650 million yuan ($89.52 million), the project successfully completed its initial charge-discharge unit test on May 4 after more than a year of construction.

"The principle of the project is the conversion of potential energy to electricity through vertical lifting and horizontal displacement of unit modules, controlled by artificial intelligence algorithms," explained Sheng Yuanmao, operations director at Jiangsu Nengying New Energy Technology Development Co Ltd, a subsidiary of China Tianying.

The storage medium, known as gravity blocks, can be made from waste materials such as construction debris, coal ash, and fiberglass. These blocks, designed for a lifespan of up to 50 years, boast advantages including a lack of degradation over time and no risk of chemical fires. By the end of this year, when the project is fully operational, it is expected to achieve an energy storage capacity of 100 MWh.