CATL: Energy storage systems need deep hardware-software integration, empirical verification is key to trust
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On September 20-21, CATL held 'Ningde Quality' 2026 Global Open Month energy storage events in Ningde and Xiamen, Fujian province. The events featured CATL's energy storage technology team, the Xiamen Empirical Energy Storage Science and Technology Research Institute, and investor representatives. CATL's Energy Storage Technology Center Director Wu Dianfeng stated that the company is using deeply integrated software and hardware to improve substation operational reliability and systematic empirical verification to validate real-world performance, turning safety, reliability, and long life into assessable and sustainable trusted energy assets. During a roundtable forum, Wang Kun, chairman of Nanjing Sixiang New Energy and Jiangsu Guosheng Chuangrong New Energy, noted that his company has consistently chosen CATL cells since 2017, and a Tongliao project was completed and connected to the grid in under six months, 20 days ahead of schedule. Ren Feng, CEO of Shenzhen Huagong Energy, reported that a self-invested project using CATL solutions has operated for nearly three years with capacity retention exceeding contractual terms under daily 100% depth of discharge (DOD) operation. Chen Xiaobo, dean of the Xiamen Empirical Energy Storage Science and Technology Research Institute, explained that empirical testing must move from component-level to full-scale, substation-level verification, actively replicating grid operating architectures and application scenarios to identify system performance and safety boundaries. He cited a 1.4 GWh high-altitude project in Tibet where the institute introduced plateau environmental conditions into the lab for testing, and a gigawatt-hour-level project where testing preemptively identified high-voltage breakdown issues under overvoltage conditions. The institute is advancing cooperation with industry chains, financial insurance institutions, and research units, aiming to convert common issues into standards and design specifications to support project risk assessment and financing decisions. CATL summarized that the 'Ningde Quality' value in energy storage lies in supporting long-term operation with system capabilities and improving asset transparency through empirical evidence, making energy storage a grid-reliable and investor-valuable energy asset.
Source report
Shanghai Securities News (Reporter: Wang Yuqing) — From September 20 to 21, the "Ningde Quality" 2026 Global Open Month Energy Storage Special Events were held successively in Ningde and Xiamen, Fujian Province. The events featured participation from CATL's energy storage technology team, the Xiamen Empirical Energy Storage Science and Technology Research Institute, and representatives of energy storage investors.
The two events systematically explained how CATL enhances the operational reliability of entire energy storage stations through deep integration of software and hardware, and how systematic empirical validation verifies the real-world performance of energy storage stations—transforming safety, reliability, and long lifespan into assessable and sustainable trusted energy assets.
"Good Cells Are the Starting Point, Not the Endpoint"
Wu Dianfeng, Director of CATL's Energy Storage Technology Center, stated that CATL is now using system-level products with highly integrated software and hardware to support long-term reliable interaction between energy storage stations and the power grid. The Tianheng energy storage system, built on high-quality battery cells, integrates battery management, energy dispatch, thermal management, power conversion, and grid interaction into a unified design, converting cell advantages into operational efficiency, reliability, and long-term asset value for the entire station.
Industry Perspectives on Reliability and Performance
During a roundtable forum themed "Navigating the Fog of Investment and Operation: Securing 20-Year Gains in Energy Storage," Wang Kun, Chairman of Nanjing Sixiang New Energy and Jiangsu Guosheng Chuangrong New Energy, noted that his company has consistently chosen CATL battery cells since 2017. He highlighted that the Tongliao project achieved grid connection and commercial operation in less than six months—20 days ahead of schedule—demonstrating that reliable products and delivery capabilities carry direct economic value.
Ren Feng, CEO of Shenzhen Huagong Energy, reported that a self-invested project using CATL's solution has been operating for nearly three years. Under daily operation at 100% depth of discharge (DOD), the capacity retention rate remains better than contractually agreed levels.
Empirical Validation: From Components to Full-Scale Verification
How system capabilities can be credibly verified was the core topic of the Xiamen event. Chen Xiaobo, Dean of the Xiamen Empirical Energy Storage Science and Technology Research Institute, explained that energy storage empirical validation must move from the component level to full-scale, station-level verification. This involves actively replicating grid operation architectures and application scenarios to identify system performance and safety boundaries, enabling early risk detection, operational performance validation, and evidence-based revenue estimation.
Chen Xiaobo cited examples:
- In a 1.4 GWh high-altitude energy storage project in Tibet, the institute introduced plateau environmental conditions into the laboratory to conduct verification of energy efficiency, thermal management, insulation withstand voltage, and sand and dust resistance.
- In another gigawatt-hour-level energy storage project test, empirical validation identified high-voltage breakdown issues under overvoltage conditions.
Advancing Industry Collaboration and Standards
It is understood that the Xiamen Empirical Energy Storage Science and Technology Research Institute is advancing cooperation with the industrial chain, financial and insurance institutions, and scientific research units. It is also exploring the transformation of common issues into standards and design specifications to support project risk assessment and financing decisions.
CATL's Summary
CATL summarized that the value of "Ningde Quality" in the energy storage sector lies in supporting long-term operation through system capabilities, improving asset transparency through empirical evidence, and making energy storage a reliable energy asset for the grid and a clearly assessable investment for stakeholders.
Source
中国证券网Eastern
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CATL warns against blind energy storage scaling, urges integrated design for reliability