Advances in sodium-ion battery energy storage systems come from Peak Energy in the US, deploying its sodium-ion system in Colorado, and Phenogy, deploying Europe’s largest sodium-ion system in Germany.
Peak Energy deploys sodium-ion BESS in Colorado
Sodium-ion (Na-ion) battery energy storage system (BESS) startup Peak Energy has deployed its passively-cooled Na-ion BESS in Watkins, Colorado, US.
Peak Energy says the system “is designed to cut lifetime project costs, paving the way for more affordable energy delivery at a time when electric bills are rising nationwide.”
Peak Energy’s BESS has no moving parts and includes active cooling and ventilation, which, as per the company, reduces the main failure points usually found in standard BESS systems.
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BESSS using lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery cells require active cooling and ventilation systems to prolong cell life and prevent fires.
Peak also reports that performance testing of the company’s Na-ion BESS demonstrated record-breaking cost savings and reliability.
The BESS is now operating at SolarTAC in Watkins, CO. Peak’s “grid-ready” system is operated in partnership with nine utilities and IPPs, which the company says represents the largest energy storage project developed in the US.
The deployment will gather and share operational and modeling data from Peak Energy’s unit during real-world operation among the project’s participants. Commercial-scale projects are planned to start in 2027.
While Peak Energy did not disclose the exact capacity of the BESS, similar types of projects have typically been 1MWh-3MWh.
Earlier this month, Hithium launched its AI data centre ESS portfolio, which includes a 2.28MWh Na-ion BESS.
Phenogy launches Europe’s first large-scale sodium-ion BESS
Elsewhere, Switzerland-based Phenogy has commissioned its Phenogy 1.0 Na-ion BESS near the Bremen Airport in northern Germany.
The 1MWh system is co-located with a pre-existing 50kW solar PV installation and is operating in island mode, powering electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
To date, this is the largest Na-ion BESS installation in Europe.
At the beginning of the year, the company announced it would establish a US headquarters in Columbia, South Carolina.
According to Phenogy, that decision came after a six-month discovery period of cities in the Southeast, which ultimately led to choosing Columbia based on South Carolina’s commitment to sustainability and partnership opportunities with local universities and companies.
