Jinko ESS, Metlen forge 3 GWh BESS partnership targeting Chile and Europe

Jinko ESS, the energy storage arm of Chinese heavyweight JinkoSolar, has signed a framework agreement with Metlen Group at the latter’s Athens headquarters. The strategic partnership aims at deploying over 3 GWh of energy storage systems in Chile and Europe.

The agreement builds on a flagship 1.6 GWh project currently under development in Atacama Region, northern Chile, for which Jinko ESS is supplying total 320 sets of its G2 “Blue Whale” 5 MWh liquid-cooled storage system. Deliveries are expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2025.

The G2 Blue Whale system features a roundtrip efficiency of 94%. Leveraging liquid-cooling, the system keeps cell temperature variation within ±2.5°C, significantly reducing the risk of thermal runaway. It also integrates a multi-layered fire prevention design and AI-powered energy management platform capable of monitoring lifecycle data and optimizing energy use. According to the company, its targeted cooling mechanism cuts auxiliary power consumption by 20% compared to “conventional systems”, saving operators tens of thousands of euros annually.

The partnership underscores Jinko ESS’s rapid expansion in the global storage sector and Metlen’s ambition to scale its role as a key player in energy transition. The two companies aim to address grid stability challenges and accelerate renewable energy deployment across strategic markets.

“Metlen’s robust infrastructure capabilities, coupled with our technology, offer tremendous value to grid operators,” said Jinko ESS CEO Zhou Fangkai. “This long-term supply partnership will help drive the energy transition across multiple markets.”

Nikos Papapetrou, Executive Director of Renewables at Metlen Group, echoed this sentiment, noting that “this collaboration allows us to combine cutting-edge storage technology with our global expertise to develop large-scale, resilient energy infrastructure.” Metlen currently has a development pipeline totaling 12.7 GW, of which over 2.6 GW are storage projects.

The agreement follows a string of recent wins for Jinko ESS. In March, the company signed a deal with Germany’s AIS GmbH for a 66.5 MW solar-plus-storage project. In June, it announced a 66 MWh supply of its G2 Blue Whale system for four projects in the Middle East. That same month, it disclosed a 500 MWh delivery pipeline for commercial and industrial users across Australia. In total, the company has signed over 16 contracts totaling more than 4.2 GWh of storage systems in the first half of 2025.