The World's First! BYD Energy Storage Unveils a Big Move
In the wave of global energy transformation, the development of energy storage technology has become a crucial link. Relying on its profound technological accumulation and innovative spirit, BYD Energy Storage has once again become the focus of the industry. According to Energy Storage News, Wang Kai, the head of BYD Energy Storage in the UK and Ireland, announced on LinkedIn that the company has launched a sodium-ion battery energy storage system product - MC Cube - SIB ESS. This pioneering feat makes BYD the world's first developer of a high-performance sodium-ion battery energy storage system, marking another milestone step for BYD in the energy storage field.
I. 20-foot Sodium-ion Battery Energy Storage System with Prominent Advantages
(1) Innovative Design and Integration Technology
Wang Kai said that this product uses the company's iconic blade batteries and adopts the "CTS integration design (Cell to System)". This innovative integration design concept is the fruit of BYD's long-term exploration and research in the battery technology field. By integrating individual battery cells to the entire energy storage system in an integrated manner, it maximizes the optimization of the system's energy transmission efficiency, space utilization, and overall performance. Compared with traditional energy storage system designs, it reduces energy losses in intermediate links and the complexity of connecting components, thereby improving the system's reliability and stability.
(2) Ultra-high Energy Density
This energy storage system exhibits an ultra-high energy density. It can store more electrical energy within a limited space, which is of great significance for expanding the application scenarios of the energy storage system. Whether it's an energy storage power station in the city center or distributed energy storage facilities in remote areas, the characteristic of high energy density enables the energy storage system to achieve a larger storage capacity on a smaller footprint. For example, in cities where land resources are scarce, high-energy-density energy storage systems can be conveniently installed in areas with limited space such as basements or rooftops of buildings, providing strong support for the balance between urban energy supply and demand.
(3) Outstanding Safety Standards
Safety has always been the core concern of energy storage systems. BYD's sodium-ion battery energy storage system sets an excellent example in terms of safety. From the selection of battery materials to the overall architecture design of the system, multiple safety protection mechanisms have been incorporated. Sodium-ion batteries themselves have certain advantages in thermal stability compared to lithium-ion batteries, and BYD has further optimized the battery management system (BMS) on this basis. The BMS can monitor key parameters such as battery temperature, voltage, and current in real time. Once abnormal situations are detected, it will immediately initiate corresponding protection measures, such as over-temperature protection, over-voltage protection, and over-current protection, ensuring that the energy storage system can operate safely under various working conditions and effectively avoiding safety accidents such as fires and explosions caused by battery failures.
(4) Flexible Modular Design
The flexible modular design is another highlight of this energy storage system. It has a capacity of 2.3 MWh, a nominal voltage of 1200 V, and a voltage range of 800 V - 1400 V. The modular design enables the energy storage system to be flexibly combined and expanded according to different application requirements. For small industrial and commercial energy storage projects, a single module or a few modules can be selected for configuration to meet their relatively small energy storage needs; while for large energy storage power stations on the source-grid side, multiple modules can be connected in parallel or in series to easily achieve large-scale energy storage capacity expansion. This flexibility not only improves the applicability of the product but also significantly reduces the design, installation, and maintenance costs of the energy storage system.
(5) Coexistence of Cost and Performance Advantages
When replying to comments, Wang Kai emphasized the natural abundance of sodium elements. Sodium is extremely abundant on the earth. Compared with the scarcity of lithium elements, the cost of obtaining its raw materials is lower. This theoretically provides a solid foundation for reducing the manufacturing cost of sodium-ion batteries. Compared with lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries have obvious advantages in cost. In addition, sodium-ion batteries have a higher charge-discharge rate, which means they can complete the charging and discharging processes in a shorter time, improving the response speed and energy conversion efficiency of the energy storage system. A wider operating temperature range enables them to adapt to various harsh climatic conditions, whether in cold polar regions or hot desert areas, and they can operate stably. A longer cycle life ensures the performance stability and reliability of the energy storage system during long-term use, reducing the frequency and cost of battery replacement. Better safety provides a strong guarantee for its application in large-scale energy storage.
Although the capacity of BYD's new energy storage system in each 20-foot container is 2.3 MWh, which is lower than the common battery capacity of 5 MWh for current 20-foot lithium-ion battery energy storage containers, it is higher than the existing standards in the lithium-ion energy storage battery field. This indicates that BYD's sodium-ion battery energy storage system has reached a new height in terms of energy density and performance, setting a new benchmark for the future development of the energy storage industry.
At the 2nd Sodium-ion Battery Industry Chain and Standard Development Forum, BYD demonstrated its major breakthroughs in sodium-ion battery technology to the industry. The highlight product was the 150Ah blade sodium cell. This cell product has excellent performance in terms of energy density, charge-discharge performance, etc., reflecting BYD's leading level in the research and development of core sodium-ion battery technologies. Meanwhile, in the Nanning Industrial Park, the 20 MWh sodium-ion Magic Cube energy storage system has entered the trial stage. The trial of this system marks an important step for BYD's sodium-ion battery energy storage technology from the laboratory to practical application, providing valuable practical experience for further optimizing and improving the product.
It is worth mentioning that the Magic Cube cabinet energy storage system in the Nanning Industrial Park belongs to a modular energy storage system with a smaller footprint, and its main application direction is industrial and commercial energy storage. However, the MC Cube - SIB ESS mentioned by Wang Kai is mainly used for large-scale energy storage on the source-grid side. This product layout for different application scenarios fully reflects BYD Energy Storage's strategic considerations in market segmentation and product differentiation. By providing customized energy storage solutions for customers with different scales and needs, BYD Energy Storage can better meet the diverse needs of the market and further expand its market share.
II. BYD's Sodium-ion Battery Layout: Both Forward-looking and Strategic
(1) Large-scale Investment Demonstrates Confidence
BYD's layout in the sodium-ion battery energy storage field demonstrates its forward-looking and strategic vision in new energy technologies. Its investment scale is huge. Taking the Xuzhou project as an example, BYD signed an agreement with Huaihai Holding Group to invest 10 billion yuan to jointly build a sodium-ion battery production base. The base plans to have an annual production capacity of 30 GWh. Such a large-scale investment and production capacity plan fully demonstrate BYD's firm confidence in this emerging sodium-ion battery technology. Through large-scale capital investment, BYD can provide sufficient resource support in aspects such as research and development, procurement of production equipment, and talent introduction, accelerating the research and development and industrialization process of sodium-ion battery technology and gaining an edge in the competition in the energy storage market.
(2) Industrial Chain Integration and Win-Win Cooperation
BYD attaches great importance to industrial chain integration and the selection of partners, and has carried out in-depth cooperation with powerful enterprises such as Huaihai Holding Group to jointly build a sodium-ion battery production base. This cooperation model has multiple advantages. Firstly, in the production process, partners can share production resources, technical experience, and management models to improve production efficiency and reduce production costs. For example, both parties can conduct joint negotiations on raw material procurement to obtain more favorable prices and more stable supply channels; in the production process, they can exchange and learn from each other to optimize the production process and improve product quality. Secondly, in terms of market expansion, both parties can utilize their respective market channels and customer resources to expand the sales range and market influence of products. BYD has a wide customer base and brand awareness in the fields of new energy vehicles and energy storage, while partners may have unique market advantages in certain regions or industries. Through cooperation, market resources can be complementary and shared, and the market share of products can be increased.
III. A Panoramic Scan of the Domestic Sodium-ion Battery Layout
According to incomplete statistics, more than 50 domestic enterprises, including CATL, BYD Energy Storage, Zhongke Haina, Penghui Energy, Veken Technology, Desai Battery, Chaona New Energy, EAST, and Ronghe Yuanchu, have laid out in the sodium-ion battery energy storage field. This indicates that the sodium-ion battery energy storage field has become a hot development direction in China, and many enterprises are optimistic about its market prospects and are actively investing resources in research and development and industrialization layout.
(1) Veken Technology: Release of New Poly-anionic Sodium Battery Products and Application Expansion
On November 6, 2024, Veken Technology released two new poly-anionic sodium battery products: the S180 series and the S60 series. The release of these new products focused on the energy storage cell solutions with ultra-high safety, ultra-high rate, and the ability to continuously charge and discharge at ultra-low temperatures. The S180 series and S60 series batteries adopt advanced materials and structural designs in terms of safety performance, which can effectively prevent safety problems such as overheating and short circuits during the charge-discharge process. The ultra-high rate characteristic enables the batteries to release or absorb a large amount of electrical energy in a short time, meeting the application scenarios with high power requirements, such as the rapid charging and high-power discharging needs of electric vehicles. The ability to continuously charge and discharge at ultra-low temperatures broadens the application temperature range of the batteries, enabling them to perform excellently in energy storage and power applications in cold regions. Du, the executive dean of Veken Technology and the deputy general manager of Nanchang Veken, demonstrated the core advantages and wide application scenarios of the S180 series and S60 series poly-anionic sodium batteries. Since the first release of four layered oxygen sodium-ion batteries on May 27, 2023, Veken's sodium-ion batteries have received extensive support and high recognition from the market and the industry and have participated in multiple demonstration application projects, such as the Guangfa large-scale energy storage, the CR Power Haifeng auxiliary frequency modulation energy storage, and the Inner Mongolia Hohhot Kezhen sodium-ion battery energy storage power station. The successful implementation of these demonstration projects fully demonstrates the company's strong delivery ability and industry status in the sodium-ion battery field. In the future, Veken Technology will continue to iterate and improve, increasing the product energy density to above 125 Wh/kg and expanding the capacity to 200 Ah. At the same time, it will actively promote the research and development of high-rate charging technology in an environment of -20 °C, providing more comprehensive solutions for energy storage applications in extreme environments.
(2) CATL: Innovative Application of the Xiaoyao Super Hybrid Battery
Previously, on October 24, CATL released the world's first hybrid battery with a pure electric range of more than 400 kilometers and 4C ultra-fast charging - the Xiaoyao Super Hybrid Battery in Beijing. The Xiaoyao battery pack combines sodium-ion batteries and lithium-ion batteries in a certain proportion and arrangement, integrating them through series and parallel connections, achieving a 5% increase in low-temperature range. This innovative design is an important breakthrough for CATL in battery technology integration. By combining the advantages of sodium-ion batteries and lithium-ion batteries, it not only takes advantage of the low cost and good low-temperature performance of sodium-ion batteries but also utilizes the high energy density and high charge-discharge efficiency of lithium-ion batteries. This hybrid integration method provides new ideas and solutions for optimizing the performance of electric vehicles under different working conditions and is also an important breakthrough in the application of sodium-ion batteries in vehicles, opening up a new path for the future development of new energy vehicles.
(3) Desai Battery: Display of Layered Oxide Sodium-ion Battery Cells
In addition to Veken Technology and CATL, Desai Battery also has a layout in sodium-ion batteries. On April 27, Desai Battery displayed two sodium-ion battery cells with capacities of 68 Ah and 200 Ah at CIBF 2024. These two exhibits are the exploration and achievement of Desai Battery in the innovation of sodium-ion energy storage cell technology. They use layered oxides and have the advantage of high specific capacity. The application of layered oxide materials in sodium-ion batteries can improve the energy storage capacity of the batteries, enabling them to store more electrical energy under the same volume or weight. They also have high compatibility with existing process equipment, which can realize industrialization faster and more efficiently. This means that Desai Battery has fully considered the feasibility of industrialization and cost-effectiveness in the research and development process of sodium-ion batteries and can transform research and development results into actual products and launch them into the market in a relatively short time to meet the market demand for sodium-ion batteries.
In conclusion, BYD Energy Storage's launch of the world's first high-performance sodium-ion battery energy storage system and the active layout of numerous domestic enterprises in the sodium-ion battery field indicate that the curtain of the sodium-ion battery energy storage era is slowly rising. With the continuous progress of technology and the accelerated promotion of industrialization, sodium-ion battery energy storage is expected to play an increasingly important role in the future energy field, providing strong support for global energy transformation and sustainable development. Whether in large-scale grid energy storage, distributed energy storage, or the power assistance of new energy vehicles, sodium-ion batteries will rely on their unique advantages to become an important force in promoting energy transformation.
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