Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are increasingly being positioned as essential infrastructure investments rather than purely financial assets, as seen in a series of strategic partnerships announced in late September that integrate storage with broader energy and digital infrastructure strategies.
This reflects a maturing industry where storage is no longer viewed primarily as a revenue-generating arbitrage opportunity, but as a critical component of grid resilience, renewable energy integration, and the power-intensive demands of AI and high-performance computing.
The announcements demonstrate this change, spanning utility-scale renewable integration, data centre infrastructure investment, and advanced power management architectures designed to support AI workloads.
To this point, when speaking with Energy-Storage.news Premium in April, Henning Rath, CEO at nickel-hydrogen battery company EnerVenue stated, “We rethink batteries not as assets anymore, but more like infrastructure. We designed a battery that has three times longer lifetime (than lithium-ion cells), roughly 30,000 cycles, 30 years. It is inherently safer, as we do not have any risk of fire or thermal runaway.”
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While Rath’s point may have been more specifically tailored to EnerVenue’s technology, the sentiment also exists elsewhere.
In July, Sabooh Whitelaw, associate vice-president, energy and utilities at AirTrunk, addressed the audience at the Australian Clean Energy Summit 2026 in Sydney, stating “New energy-intensive infrastructure should contribute to the new energy it requires for its growth. It should pay its way, and its development should create value for the broader community.”
One key observation about the shift from financial to infrastructure investment relates to who benefits from these developments.
Speaking with Energy-Storage.news about her work tracking data centre investment, Kasia Tarczynska from Good Jobs First, a research organisation focused on corporate subsidies and economic development, notes that when companies claim billions in private investment, “These are private investments, the government only gets a share through taxes.”
She adds, “If a local government provides 90% of property tax abatements, they’re basically giving up 90% of tax revenue, the benefits that they would get from that project.”
This raises questions about whether infrastructure investments—including BESS supporting data centres and AI workloads—truly serve public infrastructure needs or primarily benefit private corporations whilst reducing public revenue.
Against this backdrop of questions about public benefit and longevity, three recent announcements illustrate how BESS is being integrated into broader infrastructure strategies.
Linxon, Hitachi, and FTC Solar announce collaboration to accelerate utility-scale solar and storage
EPC firm Linxon, Japanese tech company Hitachi’s Hitachi Energy, and US-based tracker manufacturer FTC Solar have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for North American solar and energy storage projects.
Announced 29 September, the MOU establishes a framework for the companies to jointly pursue utility-scale solar and BESS projects in North America and “other mutually agreed markets.”
The companies positioned the deal as “scaling the infrastructure” needed for the growth of renewables, grid resilience, and reliable power.
They are collectively aiming to give customers an integrated and scalable solution for project development focused on reducing risk across the project lifecycle.
Under the agreement, Linxon will serve as the primary EPC integrator and market-facing contractor, providing full EPC, commissioning, and project execution services.
Hitachi Energy will contribute utility-scale solar inverters, power conversion systems (PCS) for BESS, and the automation and control systems to operate the plants. FTC Solar will provide solar trackers, racking systems, and related balance of system (BOS) solutions.
The companies further stated, “This approach reflects a shared belief that no single company can scale the energy transition alone; progress depends on stronger partnerships that connect proven technologies, supply chain readiness and execution discipline around customer needs.”
The companies claimed that the strategic benefits for customers include faster project development and delivery through integrated planning, improved supply chain certainty and manufacturing slot visibility, and greater standardisation across solar, BESS, and substation designs.
The collaboration also aims to offer reduced integration risks between major equipment packages, improved project bankability and schedule predictability, and enhanced scalability for multi-site and programmatic deployments.
The companies expect the framework to support the development of a growing pipeline of projects where integrated technology selection, early supply chain alignment, and standardised EPC construction execution can create measurable advantages for customers.
The goal for project owners is a clearer path to action, connecting renewable generation, storage and grid infrastructure in ways that improve reliability, reduce complexity and support long-term value.
KKR’s Helix receives US$1 billion from Samsung
AI infrastructure company Helix Digital Infrastructure, Samsung, and global investment firm KKR have announced that Samsung has committed US$1 billion to Helix.
Announced 28 September, Helix, formed by KKR through its long-duration capital fund, will use the US$1 billion to support its strategy of investing in and delivering data centres, power, connectivity and related infrastructure to support growing AI demand.
Samsung’s investment builds on the more than US$10 billion of capital committed to the Helix strategy at its launch by founding investors including KKR, the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), Nvidia and Vistra.
Helix stated that it expects to explore opportunities to leverage Samsung’s capabilities across areas such as advanced technology, construction, energy storage, and cooling to support the development and delivery of AI infrastructure at scale.
TerraFlow and DG Matrix deploy VRFB and SST architecture
Vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) developer TerraFlow Energy and solid-state PCS developer DG Matrix will deploy integrated VRFB and solid-state transformer (SST) architecture in the US.
Announced 28 September, the initial deployment will integrate TerraFlow’s long-duration uninterruptible power system (LDUPS) with DG Matrix’s Interport SST technology and Dell PowerEdge servers, putting a new data centre power architecture into operation against real compute loads.
The companies noted that high-performance compute can change power demand rapidly, pushing that volatility back through electrical infrastructure built for more predictable loads.
The integrated architecture is designed to manage power between the grid, on-site generation, BESS, and compute in real time.
TerraFlow’s LDUPS combines the millisecond response time required for UPS functionality with hours of energy capacity, allowing it to continuously buffer changes in compute demand.
DG Matrix’s Interport provides programmable solid-state power conversion, routing, and control between power sources and the compute load. Together, the technologies are designed to absorb rapid changes in demand before they reach the grid and other upstream electrical infrastructure.
The commercial agreement establishes a framework for TerraFlow and DG Matrix to bring the integrated LDUPS and Interport architecture into data centre projects beyond the initial deployment.
The companies stated they are targeting applications where AI and high-performance computing require greater control over how power is delivered, managed, and exchanged with the grid.
