China commissions 148‑metre gravity battery in Rudong to store renewable power

A 148‑metre tall tower has been erected in Rudong, a coastal city north of Shanghai, serving as a large‑scale gravity‑based battery. Developed by Energy Vault’s EVx system in partnership with Chinese collaborators, the facility can deliver 25 MW of power and store up to 100 MWh, enough for roughly four hours of full‑capacity output.

The battery works by using excess renewable electricity to lift 35‑ton blocks of locally sourced waste material—such as concrete, ash or mined tailings—up the tower. When demand rises, the blocks are lowered in a controlled manner, driving generators that return electricity to the grid. The technology avoids lithium and water use, and Energy Vault reports a round‑trip efficiency above 80%. The installation was connected to China’s grid in December 2023 and has entered testing and commercial commissioning phases.