CATL launches 9MWh TENER+ storage system globally in Melbourne, signs three Australian MoUs

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) globally launched its ultra-high-capacity energy storage system, TENER+, at All Energy Australia 2026 in Melbourne on October 29, and showcased its sodium-ion system, TENER Sodium. On the same day, the company signed memorandums of understanding with Hitachi Energy, EPEC Group and UNSW Sydney to strengthen delivery and grid connection of utility-scale battery projects in Australia.

What TENER+ offers

TENER+ is a 9MWh system. CATL says it lets developers fit more storage capacity into a project with fewer containers — up to 40% fewer — and cuts the project footprint by 12%, an advantage where land is constrained. Its intelligent thermal management system is designed to raise round-trip efficiency and lower auxiliary power consumption, and multiple units can be commissioned simultaneously with a single click.

A sodium-ion option on show

TENER Sodium, shown alongside TENER+, is a modular sodium-ion system that the company says can scale beyond 30MWh, operate in high temperatures, reach 95% round-trip efficiency and last more than 20 years. For developers, it adds a sodium-ion choice next to lithium-ion, to be picked according to project conditions.

The three MoUs

The memorandums with Hitachi Energy, EPEC Group and UNSW Sydney aim to give Australian customers more confidence in how storage technology is integrated, validated and supported over a project's life, including grid connection. CATL also pointed to existing work with Australian customers, including Birdwood Energy's Baranduda Electrical Energy Reserve near Wodonga, Victoria (400MW / 1,860MWh), which has chosen CATL as technology partner.

Market backdrop

Australia's grid is absorbing storage fast. According to Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) data, grid-scale batteries supplied 8% of National Electricity Market generation between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. in the September 2026 quarter, ahead of gas at 5.1%, while renewables set a quarterly record at 44.3%. CATL, citing SNE Research, says it has led global energy storage battery shipments for five consecutive years, with a 30.4% market share in 2025, and has more than 17GWh of storage projects in Australia.

What was not disclosed

The launch gave no price, no delivery date and no named first order for TENER+. The real test will be real-world grid-connection performance and long-run operating costs under Australia's demanding connection requirements.