With the rapid development of new energy, smart grids, and electric vehicles, large-scale energy storage technology has strong application demands on the power generation, grid, and user sides of the power system. Various battery energy storage technologies with different characteristics are competing with each other, presenting a tremendous development opportunity for large-scale energy storage technology. Shandong Weineng Environmental Power Supply Co., Ltd. (Weineng Environmental), a subsidiary of Shandong Taiqi Holding Group (hereinafter referred to as Taiqi Group), has pioneered a new path in the field of power energy storage technology with its Weineng lithium iron phosphate batteries.
"Shouguang City's pioneering use of new energy buses is a first in Weifang City, truly doing something practical for the people," said Du Changwen, Secretary of the Weifang Municipal Party Committee, during a research visit to Weineng Environmental Protection, a subsidiary of Taiqi Group, on July 30. It is understood that the new energy buses in Shouguang City use batteries and electronic control systems developed by Weineng Environmental Protection.
Vaillant's low-temperature lithium iron phosphate battery has passed the evaluation.
In recent years, Taiqi Group has successfully transformed and upgraded from a traditional industry to a new energy industry by relying on independent innovation and a firm commitment to the integration of industry, academia, and research. It has become a leader in the sunrise industry of new energy, including energy storage technology. Currently, Weineng Environmental Protection is collaborating with the Qingdao Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and other institutions to establish the Qingdao Energy Storage Industry Technology Research Institute. The company plans to develop the energy storage industry into a 50 billion yuan industrial chain within three years.
Seize the commanding heights of power storage technology
"This year, we expect to produce 1 million lithium-ion batteries, making us one of the largest lithium-ion battery suppliers in China," Zhang Fengtai, chairman of Taiqi Group, told a reporter from my country Electric Power News. Seizing the high ground in power storage technology is Zhang Fengtai's current goal.
According to experts, theoretically only a few energy storage technologies, such as sodium-sulfur batteries, lithium-ion batteries, and nickel-cadmium batteries, are suitable for use in power systems. Overall, lithium-ion batteries are considered the most promising.
Reporters learned that the State Grid Zhangbei Wind-Solar-Storage Transmission Project primarily focuses on the trial application of lithium-ion batteries. China Southern Power Grid has also built an energy storage power station using lithium-ion batteries in Shenzhen, conducting related demonstration operations. Furthermore, the five major power generation groups and other giants in the power generation sector are increasingly undertaking demonstration operation projects for power storage.
Several years ago, a conference he attended in Beijing convinced Zhang Fengtai that the lithium-ion battery industry was brewing an unprecedented business opportunity. To seize this opportunity, Zhang Fengtai hired a group of experts from several well-known universities to conduct technological research on lithium-ion batteries, investing more than 10 million yuan annually in battery R&D. He also established a research and development center in Qingdao, strengthened cooperation with research institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Beijing General Research Institute of Nonferrous Metals, hired a group of experts from several well-known universities to conduct technological research on electric vehicle batteries, and actively participated in the National "863 Program." Soon, he mastered key technologies in the field of automotive power lithium-ion batteries, and the "Weineng" new energy environmentally friendly power lithium-ion battery was born, possessing independent intellectual property rights. Furthermore, he successfully tackled the motor drive system and battery management system, mastering the key and core technologies of the three major components of electric vehicle products.
Since 2014, Weineng Lithium-ion Batteries has secured orders for 10,000 battery sets for Zotye and BAIC New Energy electric passenger cars, and supplied approximately 1,000 sets for pure electric buses from companies such as Shenwo, Zhongtong, and Auhui. Simultaneously, it has exported to over 20 countries, including the United States, Germany, France, Italy, South Korea, and Russia. Among these, approximately 5,000 sets of lithium-ion batteries have been supplied to renowned companies in Germany and the United States.
"Vaillant lithium-ion batteries utilize a large number of new materials, technologies, and processes, which greatly improves the overall performance of the batteries, including capacity, lifespan, and safety," said Zhang Fengtai.
Solving the international challenge of lithium-ion batteries
Reporters learned that among various energy storage technologies, the State Grid Corporation of China has chosen the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) route for lithium-ion batteries. According to data from the Shanghai Electric Power Design Institute, the international grid believes that, in practical engineering applications, LFP energy storage systems offer the best overall performance.
Dr. Wang Lifang from the Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, told reporters that lithium iron phosphate batteries have advantages such as high specific energy, high specific power, high energy conversion efficiency, and long cycle life, but currently there is a problem that they are difficult to discharge and charge at low temperatures. Poor low-temperature performance is an international problem.
According to expert evaluation, Shandong Weineng's low-temperature lithium iron phosphate power lithium-ion battery maintains a discharge capacity of no less than 95% of its rated capacity at a high temperature of 55 degrees Celsius and no less than 80% of its rated capacity at a low temperature of -40 degrees Celsius. Its safety performance meets industry standards.
"Weineng Environmental Protection has solved the problem of maintaining the charging and discharging performance of lithium iron phosphate power lithium-ion batteries at a low temperature of -40 degrees Celsius, thus solving the international problem of low-temperature charging and discharging of batteries and reaching the world's advanced level," said Academician Yang Yusheng, a chemical power source expert from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, at the appraisal meeting.
Yang Yusheng believes that lithium iron phosphate, the raw material for manufacturing low-temperature lithium iron phosphate power batteries, has the advantages of wide availability, low price, excellent cycle performance, and good thermal stability. This type of battery can be widely used in fields with extremely high battery safety requirements, such as mining lamps, electric vehicles, and aerospace. This project has successfully solved the problem of low-temperature charging and discharging of batteries.
To effectively improve the low-temperature performance of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) power lithium-ion batteries, Weineng Environmental Protection and Qingdao University focused on four key improvements: first, nano-scale production of LFP cathode materials; second, the use of composite graphite in the anode, incorporating materials such as flake graphite, block graphite, carbon fiber, and MCMB; third, the selection of low-melting-point solvents and the addition of additives to improve low-temperature conductivity in the electrolyte; and fourth, optimization of the battery structure. They employed innovative design and processes to optimize the cathode material of lithium-ion power batteries, while simultaneously matching it with safe, stable, and low-cost anode materials and electrolytes with adjusted formulations. This optimization of the battery structure design allowed LFP materials to fully utilize their performance.
The energy storage path from batteries to electric vehicles
The rapid development of industries such as new energy power generation and electric vehicles, with strong support from national policies, has brought tremendous market development opportunities and vitality to my country's energy storage industry.
Just as lithium-ion batteries were gaining a foothold in the market and years of investment were finally yielding returns, Zhang Fengtai made another bold decision: the company would continue its transformation and move into electric vehicles. Zhang Fengtai defined this transformation as a "supply chain transformation," a natural and inevitable shift.
Because lithium-ion batteries are the "heart" of electric vehicles, the current battery technology limits their power, resulting in short driving ranges for most electric vehicles. Driving range and charging time have become significant constraints hindering the development of electric vehicles. For Taiqi Group, mastering this core battery technology, coupled with its traditional advantages in auto parts, has given it the capital to manufacture complete vehicles, leading to the creation of Taiqi Electric Vehicles. Zhang Fengtai jokingly remarked, "Actually, this transformation can be summarized as traditional industry plus new energy industry equals electric vehicles." Now, Taiqi Group is targeting the new field of new energy buses. The company has partnered with SAIC Group Shanghai Shenwo Bus Co., Ltd. to establish a new energy bus R&D base, conducting research and development and production in the field of new energy buses, further improving product quality, comprehensively developing new energy products, and continuing to strengthen and expand its new energy industry.
"Electric vehicles have been included in government procurement, and the planned production volume is 100,000 vehicles by the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan," Zhang Fengtai told reporters, pointing to rows of electric vehicles already rolling off the production line in the workshop. Taiqi Group has mastered the core technologies of electric vehicles. On June 9, 2012, the first batch of "Shouguang-made" Taiqi electric vehicles "drove" out of the country and were sold to Germany. Currently, in cooperation with the German Academy of Sciences, it has introduced internationally advanced technologies such as lightweight body, lightweight chassis, and battery explosion-proof technology, and established the German Taiqi Technology and Trade Co., Ltd., responsible for technology and talent introduction. The new lightweight electric vehicle "street skateboard" series products developed in cooperation with a German company will be launched on the market soon.
Transformation of independent innovation and industry-academia-research collaboration
In the official company profile released by Thai Auto Group Holdings, more than 60% of the content concerns technological innovation, demonstrating the company's emphasis on technological innovation, adherence to the integration of industry, academia and research, and its view of independent innovation as the only magic weapon for successfully achieving transformation and upgrading.
"Over the years, the company has adhered to the path of technological innovation, actively developing new products and technologies with independent intellectual property rights, and effectively promoting the implementation of its brand strategy," Zhang Fengtai introduced. He added that the company currently holds 26 national patents and has actively participated in and completed four major research projects under the National "863 Program." Among them, the technologies of projects such as "Industrialization Technology Research of Lithium-ion Power Lithium-ion Battery System for Electric Vehicles," "Industrial Technology Research of the Entire Lithium-ion Battery Industry Chain," and "Application Assessment of High-Performance Nickel-Metal Hydride Power Capacitor Batteries and Electric Buses" are at the leading level in China.
While adhering to independent innovation, Taiqi Holdings actively promotes industry-university-research collaboration, leveraging external expertise to support its R&D efforts and achieve a "two-pronged approach," thereby facilitating breakthroughs in core components and key application technologies, as well as product upgrades. The company has established the Shandong Weineng Environmental Power Academician Workstation and has successively forged strategic partnerships with research institutions such as the Institute of Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Electrical Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan University, and Tongji University, vigorously carrying out R&D cooperation on major scientific research projects and production technologies related to new energy lithium-ion batteries, electronic controls, and motors.
Regarding transformation and upgrading, Zhang Fengtai believes that industrial transformation and upgrading is not simply about improving processes and technologies, but more importantly, about breaking through and elevating mindsets and concepts. The ultimate goal of economic development is the harmonious progress of people, society, and the environment. If economic development leads to environmental damage and a decline in people's health, then economic development loses its original meaning, and no matter how much money one makes, it's meaningless. "Energy saving, low carbon, environmental protection, and high efficiency" are deeply ingrained in the minds of every employee of Taiqi Group.
