BYD details first 2.3 MWh sodium-ion battery pack for grid-level energy storage with high energy density

The world's second-largest battery maker BYD has managed to develop a sodium-ion battery pack covering all the requirements for a grid-level battery energy storage system (BESS) like long cycle life, while at the same time offering high energy density.

The so-called MC Cube-SIB ESS container is the "world's first high-performance" sodium-ion battery for grid energy storage and is built with the company's innovative Blade packing architecture, according to BYD's Kai Wang. The 1200V MC Cube carries 2.3 MWh capacity, and its voltage can span in the 800V-1400V range.

For comparison, Tesla's Megapack comes with 3.9 MWh capacity, but it is made of LFP batteries like the Bluetti Portable Power Station one can grab on Amazon at 50% off as a Black Friday deal.

Sodium-ion batteries are much cheaper as their raw material is abundant, and they can offer longer lifespan with higher discharge rate even when cold. To top it all off, they are safer than lithium batteries whose piercing, exposure to high temperatures, or manufacturing defects can result in uncontrollable thermal runaway.

Despite that the price of lithium dropped precipitously in the past year or so, due to the softening of the EV market and economies of scale, BYD didn't abandon its plan to build the world's biggest 30 GWh sodium-ion battery factory.

With products like the first high-performance Na-ion battery for grid energy storage, it will now reap the benefits of that decision when the plant becomes operational.

Granted, HiNa Battery already operates a grid-level BESS that balances the renewables network of a local utility. BYD's 2.3 MWh MC Cube, however, provides higher energy density and performance, and could bring electricity costs below the $0.03/kWh mark of the solution with HiNa's sodium-ion grid battery.