CATL and Rolls-Royce in tie up for energy storage system

SHANGHAI: Rolls-Royce, a major British provider of power and propulsion solutions, announced recently a partnership with Chinese battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) to launch CATL’s new TENER product line in the European Union and the United Kingdom.

Experts said they view this partnership as a strategic move to capitalise on Europe’s expanding market for power storage systems, driven by rapid development of renewable energies.

It also signified deeper China-Europe cooperation in manufacturing rather than just sales within this sector, to reduce risks from geopolitical tensions and trade conflicts, they said.

CATL’s TENER is touted by its maker as the world’s first energy storage system with zero-degradation in the initial five years of use, with a capacity of 6.25 megawatt-hours, that can be mass-produced.

Rolls-Royce has begun offering TENER products as part of its MTU EnergyPack QG solution for large-scale energy storage, primarily targeting grid operators.

The new collaboration further includes potential developments of innovative smart products leveraging Rolls-Royce’s MTU EnergetIQ intelligent automation solution, MTU Go! digital platform, as well as CATL’s intelligent diagnostic platform and battery management system.

Rolls-Royce said the partnership strengthens both companies’ capabilities to handle large and complex grid-scale battery energy storage system projects.

Rolls-Royce also said battery storage systems are a strategic focus and an area of growth for its Power Systems division.

Large, or grid-scale, energy storage systems enable the integration of renewable energy sources, which may have intermittent or variable output depending on weather conditions, into an energy grid while enhancing stability and reliability.

They also enable customers to utilise the latest grid and trading services, while supporting the energy transition by creating a more sustainable energy infrastructure.

Last year, Rolls-Royce and CATL signed a long-term supply agreement to collaborate on more than 10 gigawatt-hours of storage capacity. — China Daily/ANN