TIANJIN, China, June 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The 18th China International Battery Fair (CIBF 2026) concluded its three-day run at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center. As the leading global gathering for the battery industry in the first year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan period, the event united nearly 3,200 leading companies across a massive 280,000-square-meter showcase. Under the theme "Connecting the World, Empowering Green, and Driving the Future," CIBF 2026 drew over 400,000 attendees across 14 specialized halls, setting a historic benchmark for the global energy storage and battery sectors.
Expanding Global Reach
The exhibition featured a dedicated international pavilion and attracted exhibitors and buyers from more than 90 countries and regions, providing opportunities for international business engagement and technology exchange. As participation from overseas stakeholders continues to grow, CIBF is increasingly serving as a platform for dialogue and collaboration across the global battery industry. The event also highlighted the role of international cooperation in addressing the opportunities and challenges facing the energy sector during China's 15th Five-Year Plan period.
At the opening ceremony, Wang Zeshen, Secretary General of the China Industrial Association of Power Sources, highlighted three priorities for the industry: encouraging innovation over price competition, aligning more closely with international standards, and strengthening collaboration across the value chain. Meanwhile, Huatai Securities released a research report projecting continued growth in demand across the lithium battery value chain and identifying sodium-ion and solid-state batteries as promising areas for future development.
Innovation Across the Battery Value Chain
CIBF 2026 showcased the latest developments across the battery industry. In the field of solid-state batteries, attendees explored advances in electrolyte technologies and dry-electrode manufacturing. In the sodium-ion battery segment, exhibitors presented the latest progress in large-scale commercial applications. Meanwhile, innovations in high-nickel ternary cathodes, silicon-based anodes, and other key lithium battery materials highlighted the industry's pursuit of multiple technology approaches, each advancing toward greater maturity and commercialization.
Industry leaders also drew significant attention with the introduction of their latest products and technologies. CATL presented its Qilin Condensed Battery and Naxtra sodium-ion battery series. The company's recently announced energy storage supply agreement with HyperStrong—currently the world's largest sodium-ion battery energy storage order to date—was prominently featured during the exhibition and widely reported as a milestone development for the sector. BYD showcased its second-generation Blade Battery and FLASH Charging Technology, which address two longstanding industry challenges: charging speed and low-temperature charging performance. Across the broader supply chain, SEMCORP unveiled three new products aimed at the premium market segment. Its "Disruptive Technology Experience Zone" became one of the exhibition's most popular attractions, highlighting emerging technologies under development across the sector.
Energy Storage Emerges as a Key Growth Driver
For the first time, energy storage batteries surpassed power batteries in industry attention, becoming one of the exhibition's dominant themes. Industry data showed that China's lithium battery production schedule for May reached a record monthly high, with energy storage cells accounting for a significantly larger share of total output. The segment has become a key contributor to overall production growth, reflecting growing demand for energy storage applications.
International expansion was another key focus of this year's event. Hall 12, the exhibition's dedicated international pavilion, brought together leading grid operators, system integrators, and energy developers, providing an effective platform for Chinese battery companies to engage with global partners. The initiative supports the industry's shift from product exports to the export of technologies and standards. According to reports from xhby.net, several high-profile partnerships were announced during the exhibition. Among them, BYD Energy Storage signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Norway's Corvus Energy to jointly promote the large-scale deployment of high-rate lithium iron phosphate (LFP) marine battery systems, further extending the global reach of Chinese battery technologies.
Major Partnerships Announced
Partnership formation was among the exhibition's notable outcomes. On the opening day alone, Cornex New Energy signed agreements with five leading industry partners, securing a combined order volume of 50 GWh. The agreements span applications from residential energy storage to utility-scale projects. Meanwhile, Shandong Huate Magnet entered into strategic partnerships with three battery manufacturers, further strengthening collaboration across the value chain. Beyond domestic deals, exhibitors also reached a broad range of agreements with international customers covering battery supply, technology development, and capacity expansion, demonstrating continued international engagement.
Looking Ahead: Five Trends Shaping the Battery Industry
Drawing on developments showcased throughout the exhibition, CIBF 2026 highlighted five trends shaping the future of the global battery industry. Battery technologies continue to diversify, with solid-state and sodium-ion batteries accelerating toward large-scale commercialization. At the same time, battery applications are expanding into the low-altitude economy, embodied AI robotics, and other emerging sectors, generating new sources of demand. Competitive advantage is also shifting from capacity expansion toward full-lifecycle economics and compliance with increasingly complex global regulatory requirements. Meanwhile, companies are moving beyond product exports toward integrated solutions that combine technology, standards, and manufacturing capabilities. These developments are accompanied by greater collaboration across the value chain, reflecting a growing emphasis on coordinated innovation throughout the industry.
CIBF 2026 was far more than a record-breaking industry gathering. It served as a forum for discussion on the future direction of the global battery sector. One theme emerged consistently throughout the exhibition: technological innovation and deeper integration with real-world applications are becoming increasingly important priorities across the industry. With a more diversified, open, and innovation-driven approach, China's battery industry is playing an increasingly important role in the global energy transition.
While the exhibition has come to a close, innovation across the battery industry continues. Building on the discussions and partnerships formed at CIBF 2026, stakeholders will continue to push the boundaries of core technologies, deepen international collaboration, and support the global energy transition and carbon neutrality goals. The industry will gather again in Shenzhen in 2027 to explore new opportunities for sustainable, low-carbon development.
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CIBF 2026 Anchors Global Value Chains to Power Next-Gen Energy Storage
