Chinese solar giant Longi Green Energy Technology Co has successfully brought online its first energy storage project in Finland, marking a major breakthrough in the deployment of renewable energy in extreme environments.

The newly operational facility represents a significant milestone for integrated solar-plus-storage solutions in high-latitude regions and severe Nordic climates, the company said.

Specifically designed to withstand subzero temperatures and address the complex demands of island power grids, the system is expected to substantially enhance the stability and overall resilience of the local electricity infrastructure under fluctuating conditions, it said.

By making the power injected into the grid more compatible, the project significantly improves the "grid-friendliness" and consumption efficiency of clean energy, the company added.

China has solidified its undisputed leadership in the global energy storage sector in recent years, successfully transitioning from a trailing participant to the primary driver of global innovation and development, said industry analysts and policymakers.

China's cumulative installed capacity for new energy storage surged to an impressive 144.7 gigawatts by the end of 2025. This accounted for 51.9 percent of the global market, marking the first time the country has claimed more than half of the worldwide share, according to data released by the China Energy Storage Alliance.

Propelled by continuous technological breakthroughs, a strategic expansion into localized global manufacturing, and robust planning by both private trailblazers and major State-owned enterprises, China is now dictating the tempo of the worldwide energy transition, it said.

The domestic energy storage sector has entered a phase of massive expansion, characterized by a record influx of new market entrants and steadily growing overall capacity, according to Chen Haisheng, chairman of the China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA).

Chen said that China's core energy storage technologies now rival top-tier international standards, while specifically noting that the country has secured a clear global leadership role in lithium batteries, compressed air energy storage and flow battery technologies.

According to Longi, the Nordic energy market is known for its rigorous standards regarding frequency stability and flexible regulation.

The successful implementation of this project provides valuable experience for future expansion into European and other high-latitude markets worldwide.

The Finland project serves as a model for how Chinese green technology can be customized to solve complex energy challenges in specialized geographical environments, it said.

Data from the CNESA DataLink global database reveal a dramatic international expansion for Chinese energy storage firms, with new overseas orders skyrocketing 144 percent year-on-year to reach 366 gigawatt-hours in 2025.

This growing footprint, driven by industry titans, including battery behemoth Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd, now encompasses over 60 countries and regions, as more than 70 domestic companies actively penetrate key markets across Europe, the Asia-Pacific, the Americas and the Middle East.

Liu Deshun, chief engineer of the National Energy Administration, underscored the government's dedication to this economic shift, pledging to expedite the refinement of market mechanisms for new energy storage.

By establishing a sound capacity pricing structure and a reliable compensation framework, the government aims to steer the sector toward rational and profitable expansion.

zhengxin@chinadaily.com.cn