Total shipments for the TENER system, designed for longer service life and better adaptability to extreme temperatures, will reach one gigawatt-hour by the end of this year, CATL said at an event in Munich on Monday, June 22. Global deliveries will begin in June 2027.
The TENER system is an energy storage system (ESS) developed by CATL, designed to meet the global demand for large-scale energy storage. It is engineered for applications ranging from industrial electrification to AI-driven data centres, providing utilities, developers, and industrial users with high efficiency and economic value
The world’s largest battery manufacturer unveiled technology in April that uses sodium as the key raw material in batteries, rather than the traditional lithium. It subsequently secured a three-year agreement to supply 60 gigawatt-hours of sodium-ion batteries to power equipment manufacturer Beijing HyperStrong Technology, its first strategic partnership using the technology.
The developments underscore CATL’s dual-track strategy of advancing both lithium and sodium battery technologies. The strategic shift has gained momentum due a rebound in lithium carbonate spot prices this year, which has enhanced sodium batteries’ cost competitiveness.
Sodium also offers supply-chain advantages due to its global abundance, helping to reduce reliance on lithium imports. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has said that 2026 “could prove to be a pivotal year” for sodium batteries, as the technology begins to challenge lithium-ion dominance and potentially capture a share of the market.
