Intilion has just tied up with CATL for sodium-ion BESS deployments in Europe, following Alfen’s similar move in July, while Merus Power tells us it is in the process of integrating with the OEM’s new product.
CATL, the world’s largest battery company, launched its sodium-ion Tener battery energy storage system (BESS) product in June this year. The technology offers a longer cycle life and wider operating temperature range than lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and, just as crucially, a potentially lower cost in the long run.
Most developers and owner-operators we’ve heard from in Europe have nonetheless said that the technology is not yet bankable for deployments. Europe-based system integrators are moving quickly to partner with CATL to offer the product as a turnkey solution in the European market, to be ready once it is.
Germany-based system integrator Intilion CEO Hubertus Jakobi yesterday announced an agreement with CATL to realise BESS projects using its sodium-ion tech in the DACH (Germany-Austria-Switzerland) region, targeting a total volume of up to 3GWh. Intilion has mainly been active in the German market to-date.
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That follows Netherlands-headquartered Alfen’s 5GWh deal with CATL for European deployments, just a month after the product launch. The company recently completed its home country’s largest BESS at 100MW/200MWh.
Finland-based power solutions firm Merus Power is another company looking to move quickly on deploying CATL’s sodium-ion product.
Speaking to Energy-Storage.news at the Energy Storage Summit Germany in Berlin last month, the firm’s director for system deliveries and services Mikko Marttala said that the idea of it ‘not being bankable’ is a bit short-sighted.
“People are saying it is not bankable, but what is that based on? If CATL guarantees it, then it will be bankable. I am sure there is a learning curve, but CATL has so much power to shift the market. If they want to sell it, they can and they will,” he said.
Merus is in the process of finalising the technical specification between its power conversion system (PCS) solution and CATL’s sodium-ion BESS, at which point it will be ready to offer it to the market.
“I would be surprised if we are not building projects with it next year in Northern Europe,” he added.
Merus Power has a strong relationship with CATL, having already deployed 500MWh of its BESS in Europe and in June signing up for 3GWh more (Marttala was present alongside his CEO at that signing ceremony).
Ex-Fluence executive Marek Kubik boldly predicted in August that sodium-ion would reach a market share of BESS by 2035 of ‘closer to 90%’ than the c.11% being predicted according to analysts from Benchmark and Fastmarkets.
We have published deep-dives on both CATL’s and Hithium’s new sodium-ion BESS products in ESN Premium.
