With over a decade of experience in the energy and solar sector in Latin America, Marcel Peralta takes on the challenge of leading Ampace's arrival in the region known as Head Latam.
With experience at global companies and market leaders such as Jinko Solar and Canadian Solar, and solid expertise in management, strategy and business development, sales & marketing, and international expansion, he is now leading the strategy that marks the debut of the joint venture formed by ATL and CATL in the Latin American and especially Brazilian energy storage market.
In an interview with Canal Solar, Peralta details the company's origins, growth plans, the technological differentiators of its portfolio, and the central role that Brazil will play in this new phase.
How did the joint venture come about?
Ampace is the result of a strategic joint venture between ATL (Amperex Technology Limited), a global leader in the supply of lithium-ion batteries for electronic equipment and ICT (Information and Communication Technology), and CATL, a world leader in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage systems.
The joint venture was established in 2021 with the goal of accelerating the international expansion of solutions in energy storage, micromobility, and portable power products.
What storage solutions does the company plan to offer in Latin America?
Our portfolio for Latin America covers all power and solutions for behind-the-meter applications, from residential systems with all-in-one modular solutions ...including large-scale projects alongside cargo, with containers of multiple megawatt-hours.
We also include solutions for microgrids, ultra-high-power UPS systems for data centers, as well as semi-solid battery technologies focused on high performance and reliability.
Why did you choose to enter the region now, and which countries are a priority?
This move is part of Ampace's global expansion in the Business Energy Storage Solutions (BESS) segment, driven by the brand's accelerated growth, which has already served more than 41 million customers in 29 countries and is globally recognized for its safety, reliability, performance, and excellence in user experience.
In Latin America, we already have a presence in virtually every country, supplying batteries for applications such as electric micromobility, tools, and drones, among others.
Based on the profile of their energy matrices and the progress in the transition to renewable sources, Brazil and Chile stand out as markets with the highest current demand for Ampace solutions.
However, other countries such as Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and several Central American nations have also initiated BESS projects for the commercial, industrial, and residential sectors—each with its own regulatory and economic particularities.
Will Brazil play a central role in this expansion? Are there any partners or local infrastructure planned?
Yes, Brazil is the main pillar of our strategy for Latin America, as we believe it holds the greatest potential for business volume in behind-the-meter applications in the coming years, making it the most strategic market in the region for us.
When discussing partners and local infrastructure, it's important to consider all stages of the customer journey — from pre-sales technical and commercial support, focusing on proper application sizing and Capex and ROI analysis, to delivery logistics, supervision, commissioning, and post-sales support, including component replacement and services.
In the pre-sales and sales phases, we are strengthening the sales channel with local partners who will guarantee the necessary reach. In the post-sales phase, we are leveraging the synergy with the CATL Group, utilizing the already established technical assistance network and partners that support the group's portfolio in the country and the region.
What technical and portfolio differentiators does the company intend to bring?
Ampace arrives in the region with its solutions using patented Kunlun cells and the GT40 module, the most innovative and technologically advanced in the world, providing a rare combination in the market of ultra-long cycles of 15.000 (almost double the market average), designed to exceed 20 years of useful life and have better performance in high temperatures, saving up to 2,5% in auxiliary energy consumption from the cells.
Therefore, our batteries are a perfect match for the lifespan of photovoltaic projects, eliminating the need for replacement midway through the system's projected lifespan.
Another innovation we are bringing to our customers is BESS systems without liquid refrigeration or air conditioning, which significantly reduces operating and maintenance costs, achieving up to 50% reduction in maintenance routines and intervention times.
Among all these technologies and benefits that we will bring to our customers, the most important to highlight, and we are proud to say, is that Ampace batteries have had zero incidents to date, being recognized worldwide for this achievement.
This is made possible by a multi-layered safety design that combines (i) intrinsic safety, with chemical stability, robust structures and rigorous process control; (ii) active safety, with continuous 24-hour monitoring of cell health, internal alarms and anomaly detection; and (iii) passive safety, with multi-level separations, pressure relief and fireproof design.
All of this will be available in our ESS solutions for all scenarios and applications, such as residential, battery for fast vehicle charger, data center, off-grid and micro-grid, small and medium C&I, and large C&I — and we will certainly help our customers with our bankability, reliability, performance and services to accelerate their energy transitions and investments, guaranteeing their expected returns.
What exactly will your scope be as Head of LATAM, and what are the first milestones?
As Head of Latam, my mission will be to structure the business in the region and lead it to the growth and consolidation phase, transforming it from a 0-1 business to a 1-100 business.
This involves defining local strategies and partnerships, forming technical, operational, and commercial teams, as well as positioning and strengthening the Ampace brand in Latin America. I will also be in charge of structuring sales channels and marketing and branding planning.
In general, the scope encompasses all essential aspects for the company's regional development. The first milestones will be defining partners and channels and implementing local pilot projects that will serve as benchmarks for the market.
Are there any investment plans, certifications, and a timeline for product arrival?
Yes, in addition to the investments already made in the past through existing partners providing Ampace-manufactured products already certified in Brazil, we will make all the necessary investments in people, services, and certifications to meet the growth of the brand and the market.
But the most important planned investment is in improving the communication channels and after-sales technical assistance that already exist in the CATL Group and that will be integrated with the needs of the storage solutions we will provide in the Region.
Our 15.000-cycle batteries and modules are already available for integration into our customers' solutions and needs. We can also plan shipments for early 2026 of various Ampace-designed DC and AC solutions that meet diverse market needs.
all the content of Canal Solar is protected by copyright law, and partial or total reproduction of this site in any medium is expressly prohibited. If you are interested in collaborating or reusing part of our material, please contact us by email: redacao@canalsolar.com.br.
