-- Battery energy storage manufacturer ESS Tech (GWH) has agreed to add 8.5 gigawatt-hours of non-flammable sodium-ion cells and modules to its product portfolio, produced by Alsym, which it described as a pioneer in that battery chemistry.
The system is designed as a substitute for lithium-ion batteries and for use cases that lithium-ion cannot satisfy, but without fire-causing thermal run-away risks.
The partnership also marks ESS's entry into short and medium duration battery energy storage systems or BESS, where lithium chemistries are currently dominant, in addition to ESS's presence in long-duration storage.
ESS said the Alsym sodium-ion product has almost no thermal runaway risk and lowers total cost of ownership. It also operates without the need for complex HVAC systems and has fast charge and discharge capabilities.