UCB Power and Jinko ESS Explore Local Production of Energy Storage Systems in Brazil
UCB Power and Jinko ESS, a subsidiary of Jinko Solar, signed a memorandum of understanding at Intersolar South America 2026 to assess the local industrialization of battery energy storage systems, or BESS, in Brazil. The initiative is intended to combine Jinko ESS’s technology, product portfolio and international experience with UCB Power’s manufacturing capabilities, technical knowledge and local presence.
The first route under consideration would be developed at UCB Power’s facility in Extrema, Minas Gerais. The companies may also assess other production alternatives depending on demand, project requirements and market conditions. Local manufacturing could enable certain products to satisfy domestic-content requirements and, if all applicable criteria are met, broaden access to financing mechanisms offered by the Brazilian Development Bank, BNDES.
One area of focus is the potential participation of BESS solutions in Brazil’s Capacity Reserve Auction, known as LRCAP. The cooperation could also cover applications supporting grid stability and flexibility, reducing transmission and distribution constraints, integrating renewable generation, and serving commercial, industrial and other energy-intensive operations. Jinko ESS’s plans include the SunTera G3, a containerized system with 6.25 MWh of capacity and 587 Ah cells that is currently in the final stage of certification.
The memorandum is an initial step rather than a confirmed production program: the report does not disclose committed investment, firm orders or manufacturing contracts. Execution will depend on market demand, project rules, commercial conditions, completion of certification and, for any prospective financing, compliance with BNDES requirements. For UCB Power, the agreement creates an opportunity to apply its industrial infrastructure and more than five decades of battery-manufacturing experience to the development of a larger-scale Brazilian energy storage supply chain.
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