Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) introduced its 9-megawatt-hour TENER+ system and signed three Australian memorandums of understanding as batteries supplied 8% of evening-peak generation in the National Electricity Market (NEM).
CATL announced the agreements at All Energy Australia 2026 in Melbourne. The signatories are Hitachi Energy, EPEC Group and UNSW Sydney. CATL announced no contract values, purchase commitments or deployment schedules.
With Hitachi Energy, CATL plans to explore pairing its direct-current battery products with Hitachi Energy's power conversion systems for Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. CATL says the proposed offering is intended to improve compatibility, make project delivery more standardized and reduce integration risk.
The EPEC arrangement assigns separate roles: CATL would contribute storage technology, EPEC grid-integration and engineering expertise, and the Xiamen Energy Storage Validation Research Institute (ESVL) full-scale system validation. The parties aim to help projects meet Australian grid requirements.
UNSW Sydney said it will work with CATL to develop the Centre for Integrated Renewable Energy Training and Innovation in Western Sydney. The university said early efforts will cover skills and talent development, technology demonstrations and collaborative research.
CATL says TENER+ can reduce the number of containers needed by up to 40% and is designed for a 25-year life. The company also displayed TENER Sodium, a modular cabinet system it says provides more than 30 MWh, operates at temperatures up to 55 degrees Celsius, completes more than 10,000 cycles at 45 C and delivers 95% round-trip efficiency over a lifespan exceeding 20 years.
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) reported that renewables supplied a September-quarter record 44.3% of NEM generation in 2026. Grid-scale batteries provided 8% of evening-peak generation in the NEM, compared with 5.1% for gas-powered generation. CATL has linked its storage plans to the need for grid support as coal-fired stations retire, including support for voltage and frequency.
“A battery’s value is measured over the entire lifespan of a project,” said Zane Zhou, general manager of CATL Australia and New Zealand.
