CATL sets sodium-ion BESS delivery timeline, outlines cold-weather specs

Chinese battery manufacturer CATL said its TENER Sodium energy storage system operates across a temperature range of -20 C to 45 C, according to technical specifications disclosed this week at Intersolar Europe 2026.

CATL unveiled the modular TENER Sodium configuration at the trade show, delivering just under 30 MWh of capacity per unit at approximately 42 tons each.

Amanda Xu, CTO of CATL’s energy storage business, said the energy storage sector has moved beyond prioritizing scale alone, with success increasingly measured by the ability to deliver long-term value. The system achieves 15,000 charge cycles at normal operating temperatures between 25 C and 30 C, said CATL.

Caspar Spinnen, PR lead for DACH for CATL, told pv magazine that TENER Sodium maintains 10,000 cycles of life at temperatures up to 45 C and retains 92% of its capacity at temperatures below -20 C, adding that sodium-ion technology’s longevity and cycle life are among its key advantages.

“Sodium is basically, we see it as an add-on to lithium,” said Spinnen. “We would say these are going to be the twin pillars of the future of energy storage.”

CATL said Europe represents one of its relevant markets for sodium-ion deployment. German and other European markets show strong demand, according to a company representative at the show. International deliveries of the TENER Sodium system are scheduled to begin in June 2027, following initial Chinese shipments beginning September 2026.

The company has secured 60 GWh worth of sodium-ion supply agreements spanning three years, CATL said. The company did not identify specific customers or geographic distribution for those commitments.

CATL is expanding sodium-ion production capacity, allocating 40 GWh of annual capacity at its Fuding facility, with a further 160 GWh planned at its Jining base in Shandong province, China.

According to comments from CATL executives at the Munich event, sodium carbonate costs roughly 1% of lithium carbonate. The company has assigned a 30-year warranty to the TENER Sodium system. Xu said this warranty length reflects market demand for storage products with service lives comparable to wind and solar assets.