Chinese battery manufacturer CATL has officially launched a massive new energy storage testing center in Xiamen, China.
The new facility is designed to test battery storage systems under real-world operating conditions before they are deployed on power grids. The project highlights the growing demand for safer, more reliable energy storage as countries expand their use of renewable energy.
The company said the site is the world’s largest one-stop platform for testing and validating energy storage systems. Operations at the facility began on May 28.
The center is called the Xiamen Energy Storage Validation Research Institute(ESVL). It covers around 10 hectares and received an investment of about RMB 3 billion, or nearly 440 million US dollars. CATL said the facility is open to companies and organizations across the global energy storage industry.
The launch comes as the energy storage sector is growing rapidly worldwide. Large battery systems are becoming essential for renewable energy projects and power grid stability. Governments and utilities are also investing heavily in storage to support the expansion of solar and wind energy.
CATL said the industry now faces a major gap between installed battery capacity and actual operating performance. According to the company, nearly 20 percent of large-scale energy storage power stations worldwide are not meeting expected performance levels. It also said that almost half of energy storage systems face grid connection delays of more than 2 months.
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The company believes current testing methods are no longer enough for the scale of modern energy projects. Many systems are still tested mainly at the component level rather than at the full power station level. CATL said this creates risks related to safety, reliability, and long-term operation.
The new facility focuses on what CATL calls real-world validation. This means battery systems are tested under conditions that closely match actual power grid environments. The goal is to identify problems before systems are deployed commercially.
CATL Chief Scientist Dr. Wu Kai said scientific testing standards are becoming more important as the industry enters the gigawatt-scale era.
He explained that testing must accurately reflect equipment performance and real grid conditions. He also said the facility aims to improve industry-quality standards and to move system validation earlier in the deployment process.
The ESVL facility includes five specialized laboratories for different testing purposes. They are designed to evaluate battery safety, grid integration, environmental durability, and system reliability. CATL said several parts of the facility are global firsts.
One of the main laboratories focuses on grid integration testing. It uses a 35kV and 100MVA grid simulator that can reproduce complex power grid conditions. CATL said the platform is much larger than the testing system used at the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
The grid integration lab can test more than 10 large battery storage containers simultaneously. It can also simulate up to 1,000 grid nodes and operate over a frequency range of 15 Hz to 60 Hz. Engineers can study how multiple storage systems work together during difficult grid conditions.
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Another laboratory focuses on high-voltage safety testing. It can test systems operating between 1kV and 500kV. The facility studies fire risks, explosions, lightning strikes, and electrical failures under extreme conditions.
CATL said the high-voltage lab helps engineers identify the limits of battery systems and components. This information can improve future battery design and reduce safety risks. It also helps manufacturers better understand how systems behave during abnormal electrical events.
The company has also built a large thermal safety and combustion laboratory. The indoor testing area spans around 100,000 cubic meters. It includes a 20MW calorimeter designed to measure heat and fire behavior during large-scale battery incidents.
This laboratory can conduct combustion tests on up to 9 large energy storage containers simultaneously. CATL said the results can help improve deployment planning and emergency safety standards. The data is also useful for system upgrades and future battery designs.
Another part of the facility tests how battery systems perform in harsh environments. Engineers can expose full battery containers to temperatures ranging from minus 50 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius. The lab can also simulate high-altitude conditions up to 7,200 meters.
These tests are important because energy storage systems are increasingly deployed in deserts, coastal areas, and mountainous regions. Salt spray, sand, humidity, and low pressure can damage equipment over time. CATL said the testing helps validate long-term reliability in difficult climates.
The fifth laboratory focuses on electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). It is designed to test whether large battery systems interfere with communications or electronic controls during operation. CATL said it is the world’s only EMC facility capable of testing a full 40-foot container under real high-power charging and discharging conditions.
The EMC laboratory includes a 65-ton turntable and a 5MW power supply. Engineers can monitor how battery systems behave under actual operating conditions inside a specialized chamber. This helps identify communication and control problems before deployment.
CATL said the ESVL platform is certified by international certification organizations, including TÜV SÜD, TÜV Rheinland, CGC, and CSA. The company aims to provide globally recognized testing services through a single validation process. This approach can simplify certification for energy storage developers and manufacturers.
The company also believes the testing center will support financial and regulatory decisions. Independent testing data can help insurers better assess project risks. It can also help banks and investors evaluate energy storage projects more confidently.
CATL already has years of experience operating large battery storage systems. In 2016, the company began developing 100 MWh-class lithium-ion energy storage technology. It later deployed a 30MW, 108 MWh energy storage station in Jinjiang, China.
Since then, CATL has expanded its energy storage business internationally. The company has participated in projects in Australia and North America. One large solar-plus-storage project in North America later secured refinancing at lower interest rates after demonstrating strong operational performance.
In 2025, CATL reported energy storage battery sales of 121GWh. The company said this gave it a global market share of 30.4 percent. CATL has now ranked as the world’s top energy storage battery supplier for five consecutive years.
The opening of the ESVL center reflects a wider industry shift toward stricter testing and higher reliability standards. As battery systems become part of major national infrastructure, governments and utilities are demanding stronger proof of safety and performance. Real-world testing facilities like ESVL are expected to play a larger role in the future of global energy storage deployment.
