LG Energy Solution debuts at CIIE and signs storage cooperation deals with Jiangsu partners

South Korea's LG Energy Solution (LGES) took part in the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai for the first time and, through its China unit, signed at the fair on the opening day, 5 November, strategic cooperation agreements (战略合作协议) on energy storage with two groups from Jiangsu province: Nanjing Urban Construction Group (南京市城建集团) and Jiangsu Linyang Energy (江苏林洋能源), according to Science and Technology Daily (科技日报) and China Economic Net (中国经济网).

In the fair's automobile and smart mobility area, the company showed prismatic, pouch and cylindrical cells and the all-solid-state battery technology it is developing, according to China Economic Net. The highlight was a prismatic lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cell, in versions for commercial vehicles and for energy storage, presented as the product's first launch in China. China Daily also reports the product's first appearance in the Chinese market.

With the Nanjing group, the cooperation covers grid-side storage plants, bus battery swapping and recycling. According to Science and Technology Daily, a grid-side storage plant in the Jiangning Binjiang development zone, Nanjing, will use prismatic LFP cells supplied by LGES and will be the product's first application in China. China Economic Net adds that, for buses, the two sides will explore buying the vehicle separately from the battery, with the battery pack leased.

With Linyang, the agreement covers storage plant development, system supply or integration, and operation and maintenance. Sources differ on geography: Science and Technology Daily and People's Finance (人民财讯) say the cooperation starts from the Nanjing project and later extends to Xuzhou and other regions; China Economic Net and industry outlet Polaris Energy Storage (北极星储能网) also put Nanjing as the starting point but name Nantong as the next region; and a text from industry outlet Century Energy Storage (世纪储能), written from Linyang's point of view, speaks of prioritising a storage project in Nantong, with the Nanjing one in parallel. CSP does not decide which comes first.

LGES has had its first production base outside South Korea in Nanjing since 2003, now combining its China headquarters, factory and research centre, according to Science and Technology Daily. The company's global press-release page had no item on the CIIE agreements on 9 November, and CSP found no official notice from LGES, Linyang or the Nanjing group giving the project's capacity or the value of the agreements.

CSP analysis: for storage buyers and integrators, the relevant point is that LGES is now offering the prismatic LFP format in China and already has a first grid project named. What exists for now are strategic cooperation agreements; capacity, volumes and price have not been published officially. This reading is ours, not the companies'.