China’s BYD targets next-gen grid storage with massive 14.5 MWh DC system

According to BYD, a 1 GWh storage facility built with Haohan units would require less than half the usual number of battery blocks, cut land needs by roughly one-third, and reduce the total cell count by as much as 76 percent.

Triple capacity and lower lifetime energy costs

The Haohan system is built around its own 2,710 Ah Blade Battery cell, which the company calls the world’s largest for energy storage. This cell delivers triple the capacity of typical storage batteries, offers more than 10,000 charge–discharge cycles, and cuts lifetime energy costs to under $0.014 per kilowatt-hour – a figure that could transform the economics of grid-scale projects. 

With a 52 percent volumetric cell-to-system efficiency, the design packs more energy into less space by eliminating unnecessary components. Engineered for tough conditions from deserts to coastlines, Haohan also lowers failure rates and maintenance costs by about 70 percent, while providing millisecond response and gigawatt-level grid support through BYD’s own power conversion and energy management systems.

BYD estimates that its system can lower project-level levelized costs by nearly 22 percent. For a typical 1 GWh energy storage site, expenses for equipment, shipping, and installation could drop about 30 percent. The battery is aimed at grid balancing, supporting solar and wind power, and providing backup electricity for both businesses and homes.

The system also includes a blockchain-based tool to track its carbon footprint throughout the product’s life cycle. BYD says this reduces the overall carbon impact by roughly 18 percent compared with industry norms, helping operators meet EU carbon border rules and other environmental regulations.

Global race for large-scale batteries intensifies

Energy storage competition is heating up as major players unveil bigger and more efficient systems. CATL recently launched the 9 MWh TENER Stack, Tesla introduced its 20 MWh Megablock that bundles four Megapack 3 units with integrated transformer and switchgear, and Sungrow rolled out the 6.9 MWh PowerTitan 3.0 designed for hot climates.

BYD has also introduced the GC Flux, a grid-forming inverter designed for systems from 2.5 to 10 MW. The company says it delivers about 38 percent more performance than typical industry standards and achieves a power density of 1,474 kW per square meter – roughly 130 percent higher than most current products. It can handle overloads up to three times its rating for 10 seconds and reaches a peak efficiency of 99.35 percent.

The GC Flux includes advanced grid-forming features such as active inertia response up to 25 seconds, damping across a wide 1–1500 Hz range, and rapid voltage and frequency control in under 100 milliseconds, ensuring stability for renewable-heavy or hybrid power networks.