System integrator Alfen and battery company CATL have struck a 5GWh partnership for sodium-ion BESS deployments in Europe.
Netherlands-headquartered Alfen and China-headquartered CATL announced the collaboration today (16 July). The pair will work to deploy 5GWh of CATL’s sodium-ion battery energy storage systems across Europe.
CATL launched its sodium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS) for the European market at the Smarter E Europe trade show in Germany last month. CATL hasn’t revealed which sodium-ion chemistry it is using, but sodium iron pyrophosphate (NFPP) is emerging as the most common in BESS applications.
The companies have previously collaborated on lithium-ion BESS projects in Europe. Michael Colijn, CEO of Alfen, said: “Sodium-ion is the next step in how we think about energy storage – more diversified, resilient, and built for where the market is heading. This step with CATL puts us ahead of that curve, and we’re looking forward to continuing this partnership.”
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Alfen is a system integrator and EPC services provider, most active in its home market of the Netherlands as well as the Nordic region, see all project news from it here.
Most agree that sodium-ion can complement lithium-ion by providing solutions for applications which may require heavier cycling and wider operating temperatures (two benefits it provides).
Working with Alfen on projects will allow CATL to accumulate localised European grid application experience for sodium batteries, optimise product adaptation to European grid codes, and accelerate the global scaling of sodium-ion energy storage shipments, Alfen said.
It is CATL’s second major sodium-ion BESS announcement, after it partnered with China-based system integrator HyperStrong for 60GWh of deployments over the next few years. That however will see CATL provide the battery cells while HyperStrong will design and manufacture its own BESS units. HyperStrong’s president of technology discussed its sodium-ion plans in a video interview at the Smarter E Europe show (Premium access).
