CATL Signs 5GWh Sodium-Ion Storage Deal with Alfen, TENER Makes European Debut

CATL and Alfen N.V. signed a memorandum of understanding on July 16. The two companies plan to deploy 5GWh of TENER Sodium Energy Storage Systems in the Netherlands and other Western European countries starting in 2027.

The TENER Sodium Energy Storage System is a field-validated sodium-ion energy storage solution for utility-scale applications, globally launched by CATL in Munich, Germany, in June 2026.

Each system offers more than 30MWh of capacity with modular design, supporting storage durations ranging from one to eight hours, and enabling quick replacement of faulty modules to reduce operation and maintenance costs.

Compared with conventional lithium-based storage solutions, CATL said TENER offers a design life of up to 25 years, delivering 15K charge-discharge cycles at 25°C. Capacity retention remains above 92% at -20°C, making it well suited for Europe’s winter operating conditions.

Headquartered in the Netherlands, Alfen was founded in 1937 and is a leading European supplier of smart grid solutions, energy storage systems, and EV charging equipment. The two companies established a lithium battery storage partnership in 2023 and expanded cooperation in 2024 to support Alfen’s growing project pipeline across Europe.

For Alfen, TENER offers longer service life and lower lifetime costs, along with deployment compatibility with LFP storage systems, enabling more flexible battery configurations while reducing exposure to lithium price volatility.

Alfen has connected 132 energy storage projects across Europe and launched its first multi-site energy storage project in Europe in 2024. TENER’s wide-temperature adaptability and modular design will help accelerate deployment across different grid and climate conditions.

The partnership paves the way for CATL’s sodium-ion energy storage technology to enter large-scale commercial application in Europe. Once the projects are deployed, CATL will accumulate localized operational experience for sodium-ion systems in European grids and further improve product adaptation to local grid standards.

For the European market, as renewable energy installations continue to grow and demand for long-life, diversified storage solutions increases, sodium-ion batteries could become an important technology alongside lithium batteries.

The 5GWh project will not only validate the commercial viability of sodium-ion batteries in European grids, but also help promote broader adoption of the technology in the region.