The US energy storage industry has taken delivery of the first grid-scale sodium-ion battery system, developed by Peak Energy. This technology, equipped with passive cooling and designed to maximize safety and efficiency, marks a breakthrough in the race to replace lithium batteries in energy infrastructure.
Sodium battery system technology
The new storage system uses NFPP(sodium phosphate pyrophosphate) battery architecture that operates without moving parts or active venting systems. This feature minimizes the risk of fires, a problem that has affected 89% of battery system incidents in the United States, according to data from the Electric Power Research Institute(EPRI).
By dispensing with mechanical cooling mechanisms, Peak Energy’ s system reduces auxiliary energy use by up to 90% and generates operational savings in excess of $1 million per installed gigawatt hour per year. The system’s estimated lifetime is 20 years, with 33% less degradation compared to solutions based on lithium-ferrophosphate-based solutions.(LFP) BASED SOLUTIONS.
In addition to its technical benefits, the use of sodium as a base chemical represents an opportunity to strengthen America’s energy security through the domestic availability of raw materials such as sodium carbonate. Peak’s technology enables a move toward a fully localized supply chain aligned with recent federal policies that boost domestic production.
This system is being tested with nine utilitycustomers and IPPs (independent power producers) as part of a pilot to validate its full-scale performance. This stage is critical to unlocking commercial contracts that could add up to 1 GWh in the coming months.
Source and photo: Peak Energy
