Sineng Electric will power the world's largest sodium-ion BESS in Hubei, China

China's Sineng Electric announced it has been chosen to provide its string PCS MV turnkey stations for the world's largest sodium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS) project in Hubei Province, China.

The project, developed and managed by Datang Hubei Energy Development, has a capacity of 100 MW / 200 MWh, of which an initial 50 MW / 100 MWh phase has commenced commercial operations.

The power plant consists of 42 BESS containers with 185Ah sodium-ion batteries, 21 power conversion system (PCS) units, and a 110 kV booster station, the company said in a release, adding that its 2.5 MW string PCS MV turnkey solution is designed to align with the wide DC voltage range of sodium-ion batteries, and could support rated output power between 700V and 1500V.

"Featuring cluster-level energy management, Sineng's solution amplifies the cluster-level balancing capability of sodium-ion batteries. Additionally, the string PCS units are engineered with IP66 protection rating to ensure durability in extreme temperatures and high humidity," the company said in its release.

Like other BESS projects, the Hubei sodium-ion BESS helps to effectively mitigate peak demand, enhance grid resilience, and guarantee reliable power supply.

However, the project also marks a significant milestone in China's transition toward diversified energy storage solutions: the country has exploring alternative energy storage technologies in a bid to diversify from lithium.

Sodium-ion batteries have emerged as a promising option because of abundant raw material, superior performance at low temperatures, better round-trip efficiency, and good safety record. Deploying the technology on gird-scale levels demonstrates its feasibility and advantages, helping pave the way for adoption worldwide.