#Germany #Munich #Energy Storage #Sodium-ion #CATL

CATL Launches the Revolutionary TENER Sodium Energy Storage System

On June 22, 2026, in Munich, Germany, CATL officially introduced the TENER Sodium energy storage system, marking a milestone in the energy storage sector. This innovative system is the world’s first sodium-ion solution verified for practical deployment, promising to bring sodium-based energy storage into the commercial realm. The system has achieved full commercial maturity, addressing technology readiness, production capacity, and supply chain preparedness, with expected cumulative deliveries anticipated to reach 1 GWh by the end of 2026, and global shipments are set to commence in June 2027.

William Wu, the director of CATL’s Energy Storage Technology Center, emphasized the company's commitment to supporting global energy independence while delivering long-term value to their customers. "Our mission was to develop a new battery chemistry that utilizes abundantly available resources found on all continents, which can meet the energy demands of all eight billion people while offering longer lifespan and enhanced safety,” he stated.

The Role of TENER Sodium in Energy Storage Transition

As the share of renewable energy continues to grow and the demand for energy-driven by artificial intelligence surges, energy storage transitions from a supportive role to a critical infrastructure component in the global energy ecosystem. Historically, energy storage relied heavily on lithium-based systems, which are prone to supply chain risks due to concentration and fluctuating prices. Sodium presents a game-changing alternative as it is over 1,000 times more plentiful than lithium, providing superior performance under extreme temperatures, safety, and cost potential.

"The energy storage industry has evolved beyond mere competition for scale. Today, success is increasingly defined by the ability to generate long-term value,” noted Amanda Xu, CTO of CATL Energy Storage Solutions and President of ESS Europe, during the launch event. “Our core belief is that readiness is the foundation of certainty,” which aligns with the mission behind TENER Sodium.

Key Features of the TENER Sodium System

The TENER Sodium system boasts a nominal capacity of over 30 MWh within a fully modular architecture. This design offers three key advantages to customers:
1. Simplified Project Implementation: Each module weighs approximately 42 tons, and only 34 units are required for a 1 GWh site, streamlining project deployment.
2. Increased Configuration Flexibility: The system supports separate energy and power blocks tailored to specific project requirements, allowing for flexible storage durations of 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours.
3. Lower Maintenance Costs: Faulty modules can be quickly isolated and replaced independently, enhancing system availability while reducing customer operating costs and maximizing active utilization.

To further enhance efficiency, CATL has developed a specialized bidirectional (Bi-DC) voltage regulation system for sodium-based solutions. This allows for automatic voltage increases across a low voltage range, ensuring consistent optimal output throughout the energy conversion systems (PCS) and improving overall round-trip efficiency by nearly 2%. This improvement can translate into millions of additional kilowatt-hours of energy production annually for a 1 GWh site.

The system is compatible with all major PCS products worldwide, providing robust grid support.

Additionally, CATL’s battery management system (BMS) for sodium-ion systems harnesses the continuously declining voltage curve inherent in sodium chemistry for more accurate state-of-charge estimations. Compared to lithium-ion technologies, this allows for a 20% higher tolerable discharge state, enabling greater operational flexibility. Moreover, a unique design minimizes self-consumption energy, further improving efficiency by almost 30%.

The Road Ahead for Sodium-Ion Technology

The introduction of the TENER Sodium system is the culmination of a dedicated decade-long effort in innovation as CATL seeks to revolutionize energy storage with sodium-ion technology. Their commitment to R&D has led to significant advancements, including over 1,600 patent families and a production capacity poised to delivery tens of thousands of tons of anode and cathode materials.

Sodium-ion technology, evolving from laboratory projects, is now ready to support scalable energy storage solutions in a diverse ecosystem. CATL aims to collaborate with system integrators to construct a comprehensive closed-loop ecosystem for sodium-ion storage, addressing every aspect from R&D, delivery, product testing to commercial deployment.

CATL recently made headlines by signing the world’s largest commercial sodium-ion energy storage deal with HyperStrong, confirming an addition of 60 GWh over three years, effectively transitioning the sector to sodium-ion solutions on a gigawatt-hour scale.

As CATL launches the TENER Sodium energy storage system globally, it is a hallmark moment in energy evolution, where lithium and sodium collectively create a robust infrastructure for next-generation energy storage. This progressive initiative not only aims for commercialization but also seeks to cement a stable, cost-effective and sustainable foundation for the world’s energy future.