CATL unveils TENER Flex for easier transportation, deployment in Europe

Battery industry heavyweight CATL has unveiled its latest innovation in energy storage system design developed for a wide range of applications, various topographical features, and climate conditions.

The new product called TENER Flex was unveiled at Solar & Storage Live in Birmingham on Tuesday. The new solution is part of the TENER series of products first unveiled earlier this year, with the flagship system featuring 6.25 MW capacity in a 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) container. At the time, CATL described TENER as the world’s first mass-producible energy storage system with zero degradation in the first five years of use.

The company said that based on the “quickly gained popularity and industry recognition” of the TENER product, it is now launching the TENER Flex rack energy storage system, which can better meet “the evolving needs of its clients.”

TENER Flex is a compact solution that reduces the size to 376 kW/752 kWh while retaining the safety, lifespan, and energy density of the originial TENER product. It was developed in response to different transportation requirements in different regions as well as the geospatial challenges of commercial battery storage in the UK and Europe, the company said.

Large-scale battery energy storage systems are increasingly giving rise to logistics challenges on the European soil. Therefore, CATL says it has developed the new product to make it compatible with a variety of vehicles, ensuring it meets transportation requirements in different regions, including crowded streets, difficult terrain, and remote locations.

It has designed TENER Flex so that it can be deployed in a space-saving, back-to-back skid-mounted configuration. The system integrates with power conversion systems (PCSs) from 600 V to 1500 V, meeting the diverse needs of both large-scale industrial and distributed generation applications, such as a group of houses in a rural area.

It can be paired with both string PCSs and central PCSs. It is compatible with all central PCSs on the market. When featuring a string inverter, the system enables AC-side augmentation and simplified installation.

TENER Flex has an operating temperature range from -40 to 60 degrees Celsius. It operates at altitudes up to 4000 meters and features an IP56 rating for protection against heavy rain and humidity.

With battery storage system noise as a growing industry concern, particularly in Europe and in the vicinity of populated places, TENER Flex was designed to meet British Standard BS4142 and NOISE 2000/14/EC standards, achieving a noise level of 65 decibels.

CATL has already established a strong presence in the UK market, completing over 40 projects with a total capacity of 2.5-3 GWh, all with zero safety accidents, the company says.