Chinese giant CATL partners with Rolls-Royce on groundbreaking battery

The Chinese battery production giant CATL has unveiled an innovative energy storage system named TENER at the EES 2024 trade fair. According to the manufacturer, this is the world’s first mass-produced battery that shows no capacity degradation during the first five years of use.

In its press release, CATL claims to have achieved a breakthrough using bionic SEI technologies and self-organising electrolytes. The company emphasises that the TENER system, utilising L-series cells with an energy density of 430 watt-hours per litre, has a capacity of 21,340 kilowatt-hours (kWh) and fits into a 20-foot shipping container.

The manufacturer assures that the TENER system can withstand 15,000 charging cycles, about 1.7 times more than the current industry standard. The total battery lifespan is expected to be 20 years. With 15,000 cycles at an average 80% utilization of the nominal 21,340 kWh capacity, this would equal 75 gigawatt-hours of energy.

CATL has entered into a strategic partnership with Rolls-Royce to introduce the TENER system to the European market. The manufacturer highlights that the system is not intended for home use due to its size and capacity. Instead, it can be used for peak load levelling in the power grid, especially given the growing share of renewable energy.

Although CATL does not disclose prices, it is estimated that the cost of the TENER system could be around £785,000. The system could quickly amortise in the power grid with such a large capacity and efficiency. The energy storage cost would be about 1.3 pence per kilowatt-hour, significantly less than the price fluctuations on the energy market.

Industry experts predict that if CATL can rapidly produce the TENER system in large quantities, there should be no shortage of willing buyers. The system could play a key role in stabilising power grids and supporting the development of renewable energy sources.