Rolls-Royce partners with Chinese battery maker CATL

Rolls-Royce, a major British power and propulsion solutions provider, announced on June 19 a partnership with Chinese battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) to launch CATL's new TENER product line in the European Union and the United Kingdom.

TENER, according to its maker CATL, would be the world's first mass-producible energy storage system with zero degradation in the first five years of use and a capacity of 6.25 megawatt-hours.

Rolls-Royce said it has already started to offer TENER products as part of its mtu EnergyPack QG solution for large-scale energy storage, primarily for grid operators. The new partnership includes the potential development of further innovative smart products, based on Rolls-Royce's intelligent automation solution, mtu EnergetIQ, and its digital platform, mtu Go!, as well as CATL's intelligent diagnostic platform and battery management system.

The new partnership, according to the Rolls-Royce, will strengthen the ability of both companies to handle large and complex grid-scale battery energy storage system projects.

Rolls-Royce said battery storage systems are a strategic focus and 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 increasing stability and reliability. This fully integrated solution enables customers to utilize 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.