CATL signs 2 GWh sodium-ion battery supply deal in Europe

Chinese battery manufacturer CATL has signed a strategic agreement with Bulgarian solar and energy storage company Solarpro to supply 2 GWh of sodium-ion battery energy storage systems (BESS) for projects in Central and Eastern Europe.

The companies said the agreement will support the development of sodium-ion storage systems adapted to regional climate conditions and grid requirements. They plan to launch what they describe as the first sodium-ion battery storage project in Central and Eastern Europe, with a focus on markets including Lithuania and other countries in the region.

Solarpro said sodium-ion technology offers advantages for stationary storage applications, including improved performance at low temperatures and long service life, making it an alternative to lithium-based batteries for certain uses.

The agreement expands an existing partnership between the companies. In May, CATL and Solarpro connected a 602 MWh BESS project in Bulgaria, increasing the country’s total energy storage capacity by 10%, according to Solarpro.

CATL said the projects will help adapt sodium-ion technology to European grid codes and accelerate commercial deployment outside China.

CATL’s European strategy follows efforts to scale up sodium-ion battery production. In April, the company announced a 60 GWh, three-year supply agreement with Chinese storage integrator HyperStrong, which it described as the largest sodium-ion battery supply contract signed to date.

The company said the agreement demonstrated that sodium-ion technology had overcome key barriers to large-scale manufacturing following an investment of about CNY 10 billion in research and development since 2016.

CATL also introduced a sodium-ion storage cell in April using the same format as its 587 Ah lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cell, allowing easier integration into existing systems.

Early sodium-ion storage projects are also emerging in Europe. In October 2025, Swiss company Phenogy commissioned what it described as Europe’s largest sodium-ion battery installation at the time, a 400 kW system with nearly 1 MWh of capacity installed near Bremen Airport in Germany.

From pv magazine Spain