CATL Debuts 9MWh TENER+ Storage System in Melbourne and Inks Three Australian MoUs

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) chose All Energy Australia 2026 in Melbourne for the worldwide unveiling of TENER+, a 9MWh ultra-high capacity energy storage system, staged on Oct. 29, 2026.

Sodium-ion storage system makes its field-ready arrival in Australia

The launch was paired with a local showcase of TENER Sodium, a sodium-ion storage product the company says is the world's first mass-produced and field-validated system of its kind.

The Melbourne event also served as the setting for three memorandums of understanding, signed with Hitachi Energy, EPEC Group and UNSW Sydney, aimed at strengthening how utility-scale battery projects are delivered and connected to the grid in Australia.

Together, the product launches and the agreements signal a company positioning itself not merely as an equipment supplier but as a participant in the technical, engineering and workforce foundations of Australia's energy transition.

Fewer containers, smaller footprint

TENER+ has been engineered with long-term project economics in mind. According to CATL, the system's ultra-high capacity design cuts the number of containers required on a project by up to 40% and shrinks the project footprint by 12%.

That reduction, the company says, makes the product well suited to projects where land availability is a constraint, while helping developers maximise storage capacity and extract longer-term project value. An intelligent thermal management system underpins higher round-trip efficiency and lower auxiliary power consumption. Deployment is also streamlined: multiple TENER+ batteries can be commissioned simultaneously with a single click. Durability features extend across the system's design.

TENER+ is built for a 25-year lifespan, uses liquid cooling, and carries protection for humid and coastal environments. Noise is kept below 65 dBA at 1 metre. The thermal architecture also addresses interaction between neighbouring equipment.

CATL describes a "no heat island" top-exhaust design that vents hot air vertically upwards rather than sideways, preventing horizontal heat discharge into adjacent units. By minimising thermal impact on neighbouring power conversion system units, the design allows those units to run at full rated power even during extreme summer conditions. Both TENER+ and TENER Sodium are engineered for harsh weather and designed to support compliance with Australia's demanding grid connection requirements, something CATL says gives financiers confidence in the reliability and long-term performance that battery revenues depend on.

TENER Sodium targets Australian heat

The second system on display in Melbourne, TENER Sodium, is built around sodium-ion chemistry. CATL describes it as the world's first mass-produced sodium-ion battery energy storage system to be validated in the field, delivering more than 30MWh through a modular cabinet architecture.

The product has been developed with Australian conditions in mind. It operates in temperatures of up to 55°C and delivers more than 10,000 cycles at 45°C. Round-trip efficiency stands at 95%, with an operating lifespan of more than 20 years. The two products together give developers and asset owners a choice between lithium-ion and sodium-ion chemistries.

CATL notes that sodium is far more abundant and geographically widespread than lithium, offering an additional pathway for battery supply chains. Zane Zhou, General Manager of CATL Australia and New Zealand, framed the products around whole-of-life value rather than launch-day metrics. "A battery's value is measured over the entire lifespan of a project and not just on the day it's commissioned," Zhou said.

"Developers need confidence that their batteries can handle the expected cycling to trade in the National Electricity Market and to perform throughout the lifespan of batteries installed in a utility-scale project. That is what TENER+ and TENER Sodium are designed to deliver. We're offering both sodium-ion and lithium-ion technologies to give asset owners and developers the flexibility to choose the right technology for their success."

Partnerships respond to a changing grid

The three MoUs signed at the event are directed at the challenges of a renewables-driven grid, drawing on Australian expertise and innovation. The backdrop is one of rapid change: according to the Australian Energy Market Operator, renewables supplied a record 44.3% of National Electricity Market generation in the September quarter of 2026, while grid-scale batteries supplied 8% of evening peak generation, overtaking gas-powered generation for the first time.

As coal-fired power stations retire, CATL notes the grid increasingly requires energy storage systems with grid-forming capability to provide voltage and frequency support. The Hitachi Energy agreement pairs CATL's DC battery products with Hitachi Energy's power conversion systems, forming the basis of a proposed integrated offering in Australia and the wider Asia Pacific region. The two companies aim to improve compatibility, standardise project delivery and reduce integration risk. Under the second MoU, CATL will collaborate with EPEC Group and the Xiamen Energy Storage Validation Research Institute (ESVL).

The arrangement combines CATL's energy storage technology with EPEC's grid integration and engineering delivery expertise and ESVL's full-scale system validation. The parties aim to strengthen technical validation and accelerate the delivery of reliable, bankable and grid-compliant energy storage projects in Australia.

The third MoU is with UNSW Sydney. CATL and the university will jointly develop the Centre for Integrated Renewable Energy Training and Innovation in Western Sydney, NSW, a renewable energy training and innovation centre intended to advance the skills and capabilities needed for the country's clean energy transition.

"CATL is working with Hitachi Energy, EPEC Group, ESVL and UNSW Sydney to give our Australian customers greater confidence in how our technology is integrated, validated and supported throughout a project's life," Zhou said. "Together, we're building the local expertise needed to deliver reliable battery projects in the long-term."

Existing Australian footprint

The MoUs extend CATL's existing engagement with Australian customers. Among them is Birdwood Energy, which has selected CATL as the technology partner for the Baranduda Electrical Energy Reserve, a 400MW/1,860MWh battery located near Wodonga in Victoria.

For Zhou, the partnerships reflect a longer-term commitment to the Australian market. "Our commitment to Australia goes beyond supplying energy storage systems," he said. "We're investing in people, partnerships and capability, from training the next generation of renewable energy professionals."