The maximum discharge capacity was equivalent to the grid power load of Jinan, the capital city of Shandong, helping power the entire province through evening peak hours, said Zhou Lei with the dispatch control center of State Grid Shandong Electric Power Company.

　　Thanks to their rapid response and flexibility, new-type energy storage facilities have emerged as key resources for shaving peak loads and smoothing fluctuations in renewable power generation. For instance, they help the grid absorb surplus renewable electricity during the day and discharge it during evening peak periods.

　　As of the end of July, Shandong had 14.41 million kilowatts of installed new-type energy storage capacity.

　　Energy storage is only one side of the equation. Increasingly, the country"s grid is turning to consumers themselves as a source of flexibility. Through vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, for example, electric vehicles can soak up surplus power during off-peak hours and return it to the grid when electricity demand rises.

　　Since July 1, Wuhan, capital city of central China"s Hubei Province, has been piloting a V2G pricing mechanism that allows eligible new energy vehicles and private charging piles to feed electricity back into the grid. By charging during off-peak hours and discharging during peak periods, vehicle owners can earn additional income while helping the grid shave peak loads.