State Grid Changzhou builds Jiangsu's first scenic spot charging station microgrid

A new zero-carbon charging microgrid, built with the participation of State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company, has recently begun operating at the Nanshan Bamboo Sea, a 5A-level scenic spot in Liyang, a county-level city in Changzhou, Jiangsu province.

This project tackles the area's previous charging challenges while pioneering a clean energy model.

According to the company, the remote location of the 5A-level Nanshan Bamboo Sea had resulted in underdeveloped charging infrastructure. The site previously had only one small station with 12 charging piles, which proved inadequate during peak tourist seasons.

In response, a collaboration between Jiangsu Pingling Group and State Grid Changzhou created this advanced microgrid.

The new charging station represents a major upgrade, featuring 173 charging piles — including vehicle-to-grid types — with a total capacity of 4,725 kilowatts. This marks a nine-fold increase over the original charging capability.

The project achieves zero-carbon operation through a 1,120-kilowatt photovoltaic canopy that generates about 1.2 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity annually.

This is complemented by 12 energy storage systems with a total capacity of 1,440 kilowatts. Together, these elements enable the station to meet the annual electricity demand for charging vehicles with clean, on-site solar power.

An intelligent management platform optimizes the system by coordinating the solar panels, storage units, charging piles, and local energy loads in real-time to maximize the use of the solar power generated.

The project also uses differentiated pricing strategies to encourage local residents and public transport vehicles to charge during the off-season, ensuring excess green power is consumed locally.

Finally, the microgrid is connected to Liyang State-owned Virtual Power Plant Operator Platform, enabling it to provide grid support services like peak shaving with substantial capacity for both upward and downward regulation.