CATL pushes sodium energy storage to market with Tener Sodium launch

CATL has unveiled Tener Sodium, the world’s first field-validated sodium-ion battery energy storage system, designed to provide a high-stability alternative to lithium-ion technology. The system features a rated capacity of over 30 MWh and offers an exceptional service life of up to 30 years, even under extreme temperature conditions. This launch marks a significant milestone for the energy storage sector as CATL moves toward mass production and large-scale commercial deployment of sodium-ion solutions.

CATL’s Tener Sodium system is built on a fully modular architecture where each 42-ton module contributes to a total rated capacity exceeding 30 MWh. The system is engineered for versatility, supporting storage durations ranging from one to eight hours to meet diverse project requirements. A key technical innovation is the Bi-DC dual-direction voltage control, which improves round-trip efficiency (RTE) by nearly 2%. Additionally, the system is designed for seamless integration, maintaining size compatibility with existing lithium-ion battery infrastructure to allow for easy technology switching.

The system boasts industry-leading longevity, achieving 15,000 cycles at 25°C—equivalent to a 25- to 30-year operational life—and maintaining 10,000 cycles even at elevated temperatures of 45°C. For cold-climate applications, the sodium-ion cells retain over 92% of their capacity at minus 20°C. Safety is addressed through a millisecond-level self-healing solution that can isolate faults within 200 milliseconds and restore unaffected segments within 150 milliseconds, delivering station-level redundancy. CATL also noted that the system is designed to suppress fire and explosion risks under extreme conditions.

CATL plans to begin initial deliveries in China in September, with a target of shipping 1 GWh by the end of 2026 and starting global commercial deliveries in June 2027. This rollout follows a massive 10 billion yuan investment in sodium battery R&D and a 5 billion yuan ($739 million) commitment to build 40 GWh of production capacity in Fujian. The company has already secured a 60 GWh supply agreement with HyperStrong, supporting Chairman Robin Zeng’s vision that low-cost sodium-ion batteries could eventually replace 30% to 40% of the existing battery market.