South Korean sodium-sulfur battery energy storage container price

But South Korea's battery industry faces mounting pressure from China, whose manufacturers, led by CATL, currently account for nearly 90 percent of global energy storage battery capacity. CATL expanded its footprint in January by establishing a South Korean subsidiary, signaling an aggressive push into the local market.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy unveiled plans for a nationwide tender to install 540 megawatts of battery energy storage systems (BESS), marking the country's first major government-led deployment of its kind. The project is part of a broader effort to modernize South Korea's power grid and support the transition to renewable energy.

Less than a decade ago, South Korean companies held over half of the global energy storage system (ESS) market with the rushed promise of helping secure a more sustainable energy future. However, a string of ESS-related fires and a lack of infrastructure had dampened investments in this market.

South Korea's battery makers, including LG Energy Solution and SK On, have been squeezed by waning EV subsidies and shifting demand, prompting a strategic pivot toward North America, where demand for grid storage is accelerating.

This was a heavy hit for the energy industry, but developments of safer technology and renewed state support have recently given new life to the domestic ESS market. According to South Korea's “10th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand,” the government aims to capture over 30 percent of the global ESS market by 2036.

CATL expanded its footprint in January by establishing a South Korean subsidiary, signaling an aggressive push into the local market. CATL also dominated the global EV battery market last year with a 37.9 percent share, far outpacing LG Energy Solution's 10.8 percent, according to industry data.