CATL Launches First Commercial Sodium-Ion Energy Storage System

The new system utilizes a modular architecture capable of delivering over 30 MWh of rated capacity. By decoupling energy and power blocks, the design allows for flexible storage durations ranging from one to eight hours. CATL aims to address the supply chain risks associated with lithium by leveraging sodium, which is significantly more abundant and offers superior performance in extreme temperatures. The company has invested approximately €1.2 billion in sodium-ion research since 2016, securing over 1,600 patents and establishing dedicated production lines in Fuding and Jining.

Technological refinements in the TENER system focus on operational efficiency and cost reduction. A bidirectional voltage regulation system improves round-trip efficiency by nearly 2%, while a redesigned cooling architecture cuts auxiliary power consumption to 1%. Furthermore, the system shares a physical footprint with existing lithium iron phosphate (LFP) platforms, allowing operators to switch between chemistries without requiring enclosure redesigns. With a 60 GWh supply contract already secured with HyperStrong, CATL expects to reach 1 GWh in cumulative shipments by the end of 2026, signaling the start of wide-scale deployment for sodium-based grid storage.