A lithium battery stores energy. A Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) adds an inverter and an energy management system so that stored energy can run a site. They are not the same product.
CLN makes both. This page covers the Lithium Solutions battery range — six formats using prismatic LFP cells, from a 1.28 kWh lead-acid replacement to a 5.015 MWh container. For complete systems with the inverter included, see theAll-in-One range.
Do you need a battery, or a complete system?
This is the question worth settling before comparing specifications, because it decides which half of the CLN catalogue you are shopping in.
| Your situation | What you need | CLN range |
|---|---|---|
| You already have an inverter | A battery | Lithium Solutions — this page |
| Replacing tired lead-acid batteries | A battery | Pb Replacement, Wall or Ground Mount |
| Starting from nothing, want one supplier | A complete system | All-in-One Home, Prime or Pro |
| Cutting diesel generator running cost | A complete system | All-in-One Prime or Pro |
| Utility or campus scale | A containerised system | Containerised BESS, 5.015 MWh |
CLN is an established lithium battery manufacturer in India, producing 2 GWh+ a year from a 50,000 sq ft plant in Noida and supplying electric vehicle, residential, commercial and industrial, telecom, railway and data-centre customers. The battery range below is that core business.
The six formats
| Format | Voltage | Energy | Cycles | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pb Replacement | 12.8 / 25.6 V | 1.28 – 2.56 kWh | 3,000 | Direct lead-acid swap, home backup, routers, cameras |
| Wall Mount | 25.6 / 51.2 V | 5.12 kWh | 6,000 | Homes and small offices, often with solar |
| Ground Mount | 25.6 / 51.2 V | 5.8 – 16 kWh | 6,000 | Larger residential and small commercial. Wheeled for mobility |
| Stackable | 48 V | 4.8 – 19.2 kWh | 6,000 | Modular homes — stack up to 4 modules to 20.48 kWh |
| Rack Mount HV | 240 – 720 V | 24 – 226 kWh | 3,000 – 6,000 | Commercial and industrial, to 1000 V / 500 kWh |
| Containerised BESS | 1331.2 V | 5.015 MWh | 6,000 | Grid stabilisation, micro-grid, utility peak shaving |
Cycle life is quoted at 95% depth of discharge, 25 °C, 0.5C charge and discharge. The Pb Replacement and the 100 Ah high-voltage rack series are rated for 3,000 cycles; the 314 Ah high-voltage series and the rest of the range are rated for 6,000. Confirm the current model-specific datasheet before specification.
Why LFP for stationary storage
Electric vehicles use several chemistries, including NMC and LFP, selected for a different balance of weight, range, cost and safety. A stationary battery is not constrained by vehicle weight in the same way. That allows the design to prioritise long cycle life and thermal stability.
LFP trades energy density for a considerably higher thermal runaway threshold and longer cycle life. For a battery expected to sit inside a building and cycle daily for a decade, that is the correct trade, which is why LFP has become the default chemistry for stationary storage worldwide. Every cell in the CLN range is prismatic LFP, and the chemistry is cobalt-free.
Lithium versus lead-acid, honestly
Most sites buying these batteries are replacing lead-acid. The comparison is genuinely lopsided — but not on purchase price, which is where the objection usually starts.
| CLN LFP lithium | Lead-acid | |
|---|---|---|
| Cycle life | 3,000 – 6,000 | A few hundred to ~1,500 |
| Usable depth of discharge | Up to 95% | Around half of rated capacity |
| Charging speed | Up to 4× faster | Slow, long absorption phase |
| Maintenance | Sealed, no water top-ups | Periodic topping up and checks |
| Ventilation | Installation-dependent | Often needs ventilation |
| Monitoring | Bluetooth / RS485, per cell | Typically none |
| Upfront cost | Higher | Lower |
The row that decides it is usable depth of discharge combined with cycle life. A lead-acid bank rated 100 kWh that can only use half its capacity, for perhaps 1,000 cycles, delivers around 50 MWh across its life. An LFP system of the same nameplate at 95% usable depth, rated for 6,000 cycles, delivers several times that from the same headline number. Cost per usable kWh delivered — not cost per kWh installed — is the figure that matters.
Safety and certification
Lithium safety is a fair question and deserves a specific answer rather than reassurance. Three things carry it:
- The chemistry. LFP has a substantially higher thermal runaway threshold than the NMC chemistry used in vehicles, and contains no cobalt.
- The battery management system. Every CLN battery ships with a smart BMS monitoring cell voltage, current and temperature, with protection against over-voltage, under-voltage, over-current, over- and under-temperature and external short circuit. High-voltage rack systems use a three-level architecture with cell balancing and master-slave control.
- Testing and certification. Certification is model- and market-specific. Ask CLN for current compliance documents for the exact battery and configuration proposed — especially where a tender requires IEC 62619, UL 1973, UN38.3, IEC 61000 or UL 9540A.
Batteries are manufactured in Noida across a 50,000 sq ft facility with 2 GWh+ annual capacity, supported by a pan-India sales and service network.
Lithium batteries — questions
What is the difference between a lithium battery and a battery energy storage system?
A lithium battery stores energy; a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is a complete installation that adds an inverter and an energy management system so the stored energy can run a site. CLN sells both: the Lithium Solutions range is batteries, from a lead-acid replacement up to rack-mounted high-voltage units, while the CLN All-in-One Home, Prime and Pro series are complete energy storage systems with the inverter built in.
Which CLN lithium battery replaces a lead-acid battery directly?
The CLN Pb Replacement battery is built to match standard lead-acid form factors, so an existing battery can be swapped without changing the installation. It comes in 12.8 V and 25.6 V versions at 100 Ah, giving 1.28 kWh and 2.56 kWh, charges up to four times faster than lead-acid, and needs no water top-ups. It is rated for 3,000 cycles.
How many cycles do CLN lithium batteries last?
Most of the CLN range is rated for 6,000 cycles at 95% depth of discharge — the Wall Mount, Ground Mount, Stackable and 314 Ah high-voltage rack units. Two exceptions are rated for 3,000 cycles: the Pb Replacement battery and the 100 Ah high-voltage rack series. Cycle life, not calendar age, is the meaningful measure: a battery cycled twice a day ages roughly twice as fast as one cycled daily.
What is LFP and why does CLN use it?
LFP stands for lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄), a chemistry chosen for thermal stability and long cycle life rather than maximum energy density. CLN uses prismatic LFP cells across the entire range because stationary batteries do not need the compactness a vehicle needs, and LFP is markedly more resistant to thermal runaway than the NMC chemistry common in electric vehicles.
How does lithium compare with lead-acid for backup power?
Lithium costs more upfront and less across its life. Lead-acid typically delivers a few hundred to around 1,500 cycles and only about half its rated capacity is usable without shortening life sharply. CLN LFP batteries are rated for 3,000 to 6,000 cycles at a much higher usable depth of discharge, are sealed and maintenance-free with no water top-ups, and need no ventilated battery room. Per usable kWh delivered over the life of the installation, lithium is normally cheaper.
What certifications do CLN lithium batteries carry?
Certification must be checked against the exact model, destination market and project requirement. CLN provides current model-specific datasheets and compliance documentation during the proposal and engineering review. If a tender requires IEC 62619, UL 1973, UN38.3, IEC 61000 or UL 9540A, ask for the current document for the proposed configuration rather than relying on a range-level statement.
Can CLN lithium batteries be connected in parallel to add capacity?
Yes. The Wall Mount and Ground Mount batteries support up to 16 units in parallel, so capacity can be extended later rather than replaced. The Stackable battery takes a different approach, stacking up to four modules from 5.12 kWh to 20.48 kWh in one cabinet. Rack-mounted high-voltage systems scale to 1000 V and 50–500 kWh through a modular daisy-chain architecture.
What is the largest lithium system CLN builds?
The containerised Battery Energy Storage System holds 5.015 MWh in a standard 6058 × 2438 × 2896 mm container, built from twelve battery clusters, liquid cooled, IP54 rated and weighing under 43 tonnes. It is used for grid stabilisation, micro-grid applications and peak shaving at utility scale.