In this edition of the Energy-Storage.news US news roundup, EticaAG partners with Shell on battery immersion tech, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory begins utility-scale battery testing, and ON.Energy announces a transformer supply agreement.
EticaAG and Shell partner to advance battery immersion
EticaAG, a manufacturer of battery energy storage systems (BESS), has partnered with oil giant Shell to speed up the advancement and use of battery immersion technology in BESS.
EticaAG will combine its non-flammable, immersion-cooled energy storage technology with Shell’s “high-performance” dielectric liquids.
A dielectric liquid is an electrically insulating fluid that prevents electrical current flow while also conducting heat.
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Immersion cooling, enabled by specialised dielectric liquids, is another method of addressing thermal runaway in BESS.
EticaAG claims that by fully submerging battery cells in a thermally conductive, electrically non-conductive liquid engineered explicitly for high fire-point performance, its immersion technology provides more consistent thermal regulation, better degradation control, and increased safety features for BESS applications.
Through this partnership, EticaAG will maintain its use of Shell’s MIVOLT ester-based liquid technology as the primary cooling medium for its commercial, industrial, grid-scale, and mission-critical storage platforms.
Shell will offer technical assistance, specialised knowledge of fluids, and collaborative efforts with safety agencies, standards bodies, and sector stakeholders to promote immersion cooling as an industry solution.
The two companies also highlighted that they will push for greater implementation of BESS immersion technology.
It is unclear exactly how Shell or EticaAG plan to further enhance BESS immersion, as EticaAG’s BESS must be manufactured in a particular way to implement the patented technology.
It is also unclear if this level of suppression is needed for BESS. Current fire safety standards are to contain a fire to the system in thermal runaway, allowing it burn out, though enhancing fire safety is an important and ongoing conversation.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory begins testing at Grid Storage Launchpad
The US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), located in Washington, has begun fire testing utility-grade batteries at the new Grid Storage Launchpad GSL.
At GSL, researchers have the ability to test and validate batteries up to 100kW, gaining valuable insights into how grid-scale batteries can “help support a reliable, affordable and secure electrical grid.”
PNNL notes that researchers have been limited to testing battery systems below 10kW, which generally do not include the advanced controls and complexity found in larger systems. Construction of the facility began in 2022, with the cost quoted at US$75 million at the time.
A dedication ceremony was held in August 2024 to inaugurate the Grid Storage Launchpad GSL, with PNNL stating that the test centre would be “uniquely equipped” to test, validate, and accelerate the development of battery technologies.
GSL’s 100kW testing capability allows for the testing and validation of new technologies at a scale suitable for grid-scale applications.
The first round of battery testing will centre on a vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) built by Invinity Energy Systems.
Flow batteries use a liquid electrolyte that moves through a cell stack to charge and discharge. Storing the electrolyte in separate tanks can make the battery easier to scale.
In July, Invinity said that partnering with Chinese vanadium electrolyte and battery product manufacturer Guangxi United Energy Storage New Materials Technology Limited (UESNT), would enable the company to significantly reduce the cost of its VRFB technology.
Over the next year, Invinity’s battery will undergo thorough testing in real-world conditions, for example, its ability to provide peak shaving services.
GSL researchers also highlighted the ability to test a battery’s ability to provide frequency regulation.
The grid operates on alternating current, meaning electrical current flows in two directions at a set frequency. In the US, this frequency must stay at 60 hertz. Any disruptions can lead to equipment damage or blackouts. Batteries can rapidly supply electricity, making them crucial in avoiding sudden power outages for users.
In June, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC’s) 2025 State of Reliability report found evidence suggesting that BESS can improve primary frequency response.
The report noted that BESS in the Texas and Western interconnections “are contributing to improvements in frequency control and frequency response.”
GSL announced that it will soon open its testing services to a broader audience, inviting industry players and battery manufacturers to apply for independent testing and validation of their grid-scale technologies.
ON.Energy announces transformer supply agreement with Prolec GE
System integrator and project developer ON.Energy has announced a 5GW transformer supply agreement for data centre and renewable infrastructure applications in the US, with transformer manufacturer Prolec GE.
This procurement will commence by enabling the swift deployment of ON.Energy’s AI uninterruptible power supply (UPS) technology across data centre campuses, starting in 2026.
In August, US grid-scale energy storage solutions provider Energy Vault and Turkey-based transformer manufacturer Astor Enerji signed a global strategic agreement, under which Astor Enerji will provide transformers and high-voltage equipment for over 1GW of Energy Vault BESS projects.
At that time, Energy Vault observed that US transformer wait times had increased from 50 weeks to as long as 127 weeks. The company highlighted that the agreement with Astor Enrji will give them access to high-quality equipment from a country that is not designated as a foreign entity of concern (FEOC).
The transformers supply chain has been tightening for some time. At the 2023 RE+ trade show in Las Vegas, system integrators and engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors reported that lead times for equipment had increased from 12 months to 32-36 months, including the procurement cycle duration. While this has eased somewhat since then, transformer supply is still seen as a bottleneck delaying project timelines.
ON.Energy and Prolec GE’s agreement will involve Prolec manufacturing and delivering three-phase pad-mount transformers specifically designed for ON.Energy’s medium-voltage system.
These units will be installed across grid-connected and fully behind-the-meter AI data centre campuses. They will be integrated into ON.Energy’s technology to stabilise AI workloads, regulate ramp rates, and safeguard both the data centres and the grid during voltage fluctuations.
In January, ON.Energy secured a US$77.6 million construction credit agreement with Pathward, NA, and BridgePeak Energy Capital to develop its 160MWh Palo de Agua BESS portfolio.
The portfolio will be developed across Texas and includes projects Poplar, Ft. Stockton, Mesquite, North Pecos, Colorado, Colorado 1, Andrews, Fathead 1, Fathead 2, and Badger BESS. Each project in the portfolio has a capacity of 9.9MW/20MWh.
The Energy Storage Summit USA will be held from 24-25 March 2026, in Dallas, TX. It features keynote speeches and panel discussions on topics like FEOC challenges, power demand forecasting, and managing the BESS supply chain. For complete information, visit the Energy Storage Summit USA website.
