The world’s first set! **ETPower’s “Chunuo” ultra-high-temperature heat pump energy storage: a comprehensive breakdown of its principles and application scenarios
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Driven by both the \"dual carbon\" goals and the development of new power systems, long-duration energy storage has shifted from an \"optional option\" in energy transition to a \"necessary requirement\". However, pumped storage is constrained by geographical conditions, electrochemical storage has a short lifespan and high costs, and compressed air storage relies on salt cavern resources – all of these mainstream technologies have significant drawbacks. On December 25, 2025, **Dian Tou officially launched the world’s first ultra-high-temperature heat pump energy storage technology – ‘Chunuo’, also known as the ultra-high-temperature version of a ‘Carnot battery’. This technology, with complete independent intellectual property rights, overcomes the three major industry challenges of temperature, energy storage density, and geographical limitations, offering a new solution for long-term energy storage. Based on official technical specifications and authoritative test data, this article provides an in-depth analysis of the working principle and key advantages of the Chuenuo ultra-high temperature heat pump storage system. It also outlines its applications in various fields such as new energy, coal power, nuclear power, industry, and industrial parks, helping you understand the true value of this revolutionary storage technology. Heat pump energy storage, also known as Carnot batteries in the industry, relies on the coupling of a heat pump cycle and a heat engine cycle to achieve efficient two-way conversion between electrical energy and thermal energy; it represents a cutting-edge technology approach in the field of long-term energy storage. **EPC’s \"Chunuo\" is not an ordinary low-temperature heat pump storage system; rather, it represents a revolutionary version of ultra-high-temperature type. Development of this system began in 2018 by the group’s central research institute, and after 7 years of effort, three key technologies were mastered: system design, core equipment, and intelligent control. The world’s first pilot-scale system was developed, and it passed third-party performance tests. Seven complete charge-discharge cycles were carried out, with all key parameters meeting or exceeding the design values, thus making its technical specifications among the best in the world. Compared to traditional energy storage, its most significant advantage lies in the fact that it is not dependent on specific geographical conditions, has double the energy storage density, maintains stable efficiency over time, and can simultaneously provide cooling, heating, and electricity – thereby breaking away from the limitations of traditional energy storage, which could only store electricity and had a single function.
Core principle: Two-way conversion between electrical energy and thermal energy; ultra-high temperature heat storage is the key. The operating logic of ultra-high temperature heat pump storage is essentially to store heat during off-peak times and release it during peak times. The process consists of three cyclic stages: charging, energy storage, and discharge. In simple terms, it involves using electricity to ‘pump’ heat to a high temperature for storage, and then converting that high-temperature heat back into electrical energy when electricity is needed. 1. Charging phase (electricity → heat: storing green energy as heat): Excess electricity such as that available during off-peak times on the power grid or electricity from renewable sources is used to drive the ultra-high temperature heat pump system. This system absorbs low-temperature heat from the low-temperature heat storage tank (with a temperature as low as -60°C), raises its temperature through compression by the heat pump, and stores the resulting heat at an ultra-high temperature of over 560°C in the high-temperature heat storage device. This step enables the conversion of electrical energy into high-temperature thermal energy and its storage, turning inexpensive excess electricity into high-quality thermal energy for storage. 2. In the energy storage phase (static heat storage: ultra-long duration, high density), a dual-tank/dual-chamber structure is used to store ultra-high temperature heat above 560°C and low temperature cold energy at -60°C; the energy storage density reaches 80–120 kWh per cubic meter, which is more than 10 times that of conventional compressed air energy storage ； Cyclic efficiency remains unchanged, with stable performance over long-term operation ； The energy storage duration can range from hours to days, or even weeks, making it perfectly suitable for long-term energy storage needs. 3. During the discharge phase (heat → electricity: cogeneration), when power is required, the system switches to a heat engine cycle mode: ultra-high temperature heat drives the turbine generator set to produce work, converting the high-temperature heat back into electrical energy, which is then fed into the power grid or supplied to users ； At the same time, it can directly generate high-temperature heat energy at 560°C and low-temperature cold energy at -60°C, enabling high-quality simultaneous supply of cooling, heating, and electricity, thereby further improving energy utilization efficiency. Key performance parameters (official tests): Electric-to-electric conversion efficiency: ≥65% at scale; Heat storage temperature: above 560°C; Cooling storage temperature: as low as -60°C; Energy storage density: 80–120 kWh/m³. Operational characteristics: Load adaptation with stable efficiency throughout operation. Lifetime characteristics: No decline in cycle efficiency
Core advantages: Outperforms traditional energy storage solutions and addresses three major pain points in various industries. The reason why “ChuNuo” is considered a disruptive technology is that it solves the three key issues associated with traditional long-term energy storage – geographic limitations, low efficiency, and limited functionality. It offers comprehensive advantages: 1. Flexible deployment: No geographic constraints; it can be deployed anywhere, without the need for natural resources such as water (unlike pumped storage)； No need for salt caves or karst caves (compared to compressed air energy storage) ； Power plants in plains, industrial parks in mountainous areas, city centers, and industrial zones can all be established quickly ； Modular design, which can be scaled up or down to meet various capacity requirements. 2. Efficient and stable, with lower costs over its entire lifetime; the electrical efficiency at scale is ≥65%, which is higher than that of most long-duration energy storage technologies ； Efficiency remains stable under different loads, with no drop at low loads ； No electrochemical degradation, no high-temperature loss, and extremely low long-term operating costs. 3. It features an extremely high energy storage density with minimal space requirement. For the same level of energy storage capacity, its footprint is only 1/10 that of traditional compressed air energy storage systems, allowing it to be easily installed in cities and industrial parks where land resources are limited. 4. Multi-functional use: It provides combined heating, cooling, and power generation, thus offering a higher added value compared to conventional energy storage technologies. \"Chuenuo\" can simultaneously deliver a high-temperature heat source (560°C) to meet the heat requirements of industrial processes as well as for heating purposes ； Low-temperature cold source (-60°C): suitable for industrial freezing and commercial refrigeration ； Stable power supply: to meet grid peak shaving needs and users’ power requirements ； Truly achieve one source of energy with triple benefits. 5. Independence and control: The entire set of core technologies is developed independently. **Dian Tou has overcome the three key technical challenges related to system integration, core hardware, and intelligent control; it possesses 100% independent intellectual property rights, is not subject to foreign technological constraints, and thus has the foundation for large-scale deployment. Full-scenario applications: Coverage from new energy bases to zero-carbon parks. Thanks to its capabilities in handling ultra-high temperatures, operating over a wide temperature range, allowing flexible deployment, and providing triple-function heating, cooling, and power generation, the \"Chunuo\" ultra-high temperature heat pump storage system can be used in almost all areas of the new power system, making it a truly versatile long-term energy storage solution. 1. New energy hubs (wind, solar, and storage integration): Wind and solar power exhibit significant intermittency and volatility, resulting in high rates of power waste during low-demand periods. Function: Store excess wind and solar energy, and make use of the energy that would otherwise be wasted ； Value: Smooth power output, contribute to grid load balancing, and increase the utilization rate of new energy sources to over 95% ； Suitable for: large-scale northwest scenic areas and offshore wind power clusters. 2. Coal-fired power plants undergoing flexibility upgrades face significant pressure to provide deep peak-shaving; they have high coal consumption at low load levels and poor efficiency. Function: To complement coal-fired power in peak shaving, replacing the inefficient peak shaving capacity of thermal power plants ； Value: Reduces coal consumption and carbon emissions, helping to transform coal-fired power generation from a primary source of electricity to a supplementary one. 3. Energy storage systems associated with nuclear power plants help to maintain a stable output from these plants; however, it is difficult to make rapid adjustments, and any excess electricity cannot be allocated flexibly. Function: Store excess electricity generated by nuclear power plants to stabilize fluctuations in their output ； Value: Enhances the flexibility of nuclear power operation and improves its compatibility with the power grid. 4. High-energy-consuming industries (steel, chemicals, building materials): Enterprises in these sectors have high electricity costs, as their production processes require both high-temperature heat and low-temperature cooling. Function: Store heat/cold during off-peak times, discharge energy during peak times, thereby reducing costs by balancing supply and demand ； Value: The ultra-high temperature heat energy of 560℃ directly meets the requirements of industrial processes, while the cold energy at -60℃ satisfies freezing needs; it replaces traditional boilers and refrigerators, enabling zero-carbon energy supply. 5. Zero-carbon parks/city energy supply parks: Cities require a stable supply of cold, heat, and electricity, while traditional energy supply methods result in high carbon emissions. Function: Serves as the core power supply unit to provide heating, cooling, and electricity simultaneously ； Value: 100% powered by green electricity with zero carbon emissions, setting a benchmark for zero-carbon parks and cities. 6. Peak shaving and frequency regulation on the grid side: The grid requires large-capacity, long-duration resources for peak shaving in order to ensure its stability. Function: Participates in primary frequency regulation and secondary peak shaving of the power grid to address load fluctuations ； Value: Replaces gas-based peak-shaving units, reduces the costs associated with grid peak-shaving, and improves power supply reliability. Research and development and implementation: The world’s first system of its kind, with successful pilot-scale testing. **The Electric Power Investment Central Research Institute is the entity responsible for the research and development of the \"Chunuo\" technology: In 2018, the gas-based ultra-high temperature heat pump energy storage technology was proposed for the first time ； Years of research and development: Overcoming three key technologies – system configuration, core turbine equipment, and intelligent system control ； Completed project: The world’s first pilot-scale ultra-high-temperature heat pump energy storage system ； Actual testing verification: After completing 7 full charge-discharge cycles, third-party tests showed that the core parameters are among the best in the world ； Intellectual property: Establish a comprehensive system of independent intellectual property rights, with the conditions necessary for large-scale deployment. Summary: Disruptive solutions emerge for long-duration energy storage. As long-duration energy storage becomes an essential requirement for new power systems, the introduction of EDP’s \"Chunuo\" ultra-high-temperature heat pump storage system fills the technical gap in terms of long-duration energy storage that offers ultra-high temperatures, high density, and no geographical constraints.
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