Administrative framework barriers to energy storage development in China

Abstract

The emergence of energy storage technology as a solution to the variability of renewable energy has prompted great industrial interest from China's electricity sector. As evidenced in China's latest industrial public policy promulgation, Policy Document No. 1701 (Guiding Opinion Promoting Energy Storage Technology and Development Action Plan 2019–2020), significant industrial efforts are underway to create a robust and world-leading energy storage industry. While Document No. 1701 brings much need industry expertise, finance, and attention to China's emerging energy storage industry, the absence of administrative and regulatory considerations within the document raises concerns over the viability of the plan. Specifically, we argue that the current administrative framework over China's electricity sector creates substantive, procedural, and institutional barriers to the commercialization and integration of novel energy storage technologies. However, academic discussions and solutions on industrial issues within China's electricity sector have yet to be critically explored from the viewpoint of China's growing administrative law framework. In this context, we analyze and recommend the creation of quasi-judicial administrative proceedings within the electricity sector for the purposes of administering the generator integration process onto China's national grid system.