[SMM Analysis] Downstream Acceptance of Raw Materials Relatively Weak, and Ternary Cathode Precursor Prices Edged Down

On March 3, 2026, SMM learned that Highpower Technology officially disclosed details of its layout in the sodium-ion battery sector in its 2026 private placement prospectus for A-shares. The company had invested in Siruizhe New Energy, a key sodium-ion battery material enterprise, through industrial investment in March 2023, securing a position in the core track of sodium-ion battery materials. It was reported that Highpower Technology participated in Siruizhe New Energy's capital increase with 2.5 million yuan of its own funds at that time, acquiring a 5% stake upon completion. This investment was not a financial one but rather an industrial layout around the upstream and downstream of the industry chain. The core objective was to obtain sodium-ion battery-related technologies, raw materials, and channel resources, further enhancing the company's core competitiveness.

This week, prices in the second-life Grade B battery cell market showed an upward trend. Cost side, spot lithium carbonate prices fluctuated more sharply this week and, overall, showed a clear downward trend, creating some expected pressure on the cost side going forward; nickel sulphate and cobalt sulphate prices fluctuated within a range, with nickel sulphate prices rebounding, while remaining relatively stable overall and causing no significant disruption to current costs. Overall, the industry chain’s cost side remained within the previous range of fluctuating at highs. Supply side, the second-life battery market gradually returned to its normal supply pace seen before the Chinese New Year; enterprise operating rates rebounded steadily. However, affected by current fluctuations in lithium chemicals prices, some inventory-holding enterprises adopted a wait-and-see stance on sales willingness, and the pace of releasing effective market circulation volumes slowed somewhat. Overall, the supply side showed a pattern of “recovery, but not rushing shipments.” Demand side, demand recovered significantly compared with the Chinese New Year holiday period. Downstream enterprises generally maintained destocking operations, and purchase willingness increased markedly. Among them, demand growth in the ESS sector was particularly notable, with new project starts and supporting demand continuing to be released, becoming the core driver boosting overall demand growth.

On March 4, 2026, SMM learned that Salzstrom, an Austrian energy storage technology company, launched the SALT 110 NFPP (sodium iron phosphate) sodium-ion battery ESS for European commercial and industrial operators, becoming the first market-ready cabinet-type NFPP sodium-ion battery solution in Europe’s commercial and industrial sector and advancing the deployment and application of sodium-ion battery technology in Europe’s energy storage market. The system has a rated power of 100 kVA and a usable energy storage capacity of 110 kWh, achieves a system efficiency of 95%, and operates within a temperature range of -25 to 55°C. It has obtained multiple authoritative European certifications, including EN IEC 62619, and can deliver 6,000 charge cycles at a 95% depth of discharge. Designed specifically for space-constrained scenarios such as data centers and industrial buildings, it is currently open for scheduled visits, with the first client installations expected to begin in early March in Germany and Austria.