Peak Energy, a U.S.-based developer of low-cost, gigawatt-scale energy storage technology, has launched and shipped the country’s first grid-scale sodium-ion battery energy storage system (ESS). Featuring a patent-pending passive cooling design, the system significantly reduces lifetime energy costs while eliminating components linked to most battery storage system fires, as identified in third-party reports.
Cost-competitive with leading lithium-ion solutions but offering much lower operating and maintenance costs, Peak Energy’s system is the world’s largest sodium-ion phosphate pyrophosphate (NFPP) battery installation and the first fully passive megawatt-hour-scale battery deployed to the U.S. grid. It also marks the first-ever grid-scale deployment of sodium-ion technology in the country.
This summer, Peak is launching the system in a shared pilot with nine utility and independent power producer (IPP) partners, accelerating its mission to onshore battery manufacturing.
By eliminating all moving parts—including active cooling and ventilation—the NFPP architecture removes the primary failure points in conventional systems, vastly improving reliability and reducing O&M costs. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, which require cooling systems to prevent overheating and degradation, sodium-ion chemistry enables safe, efficient operation across a wide temperature range without auxiliary systems. The result is a simpler, more robust system that delivers substantial lifetime cost savings.
The system arrives at a pivotal moment for U.S. energy infrastructure. Recent federal policy shifts and soaring energy demand have highlighted the need for domestic energy supply chains and grid resilience. Sodium-ion offers a unique strategic advantage: its raw materials—especially soda ash—are abundant in the U.S., enabling a secure, local supply chain largely independent of foreign sourcing.
“We see energy storage not only as an economic imperative, but also as a national security priority. Time is of the essence if the U.S. wants to take ownership and maintain control of its energy future,” said Landon Mossburg, CEO and Co-Founder at Peak Energy. “We are committed to onshoring the manufacturing of this critical industry, and this launch proves our ability to execute quickly on our vision to establish the U.S. as a global leader in battery manufacturing.”
Peak Energy has conducted extensive performance testing of its ESS, where the results indicate record-level cost-savings and reliability for the industry. This includes:
– At least $1 million in annual operational cost savings per gigawatt hour installed, representing up to 90% reduction in auxiliary power use
– Approximately 20% in lifetime cost savings vs. LFP in an average deployment
– 33% reduction in battery degradation over a 20-year project lifespan
“This isn’t just another product launch – it’s a breakthrough in energy storage,” said Paul Durkee, VP of Engineering at Peak Energy. “We’ve taken a very stable chemistry and invested its benefits back into our passive cooling architecture. The system is dead-simple with no moving parts, no planned maintenance and negligible aux loads. It’s the lowest total-cost grid storage technology to be deployed anywhere in the world. I’m incredibly proud of the creativity and grit our team has shown in bringing our vision to life.”
Peak Energy’s pilot marks a significant first step in commercializing sodium-ion battery storage in the United States and unlocks nearly 1GWh of future commercial contracts currently under negotiation. Following the pilot, Peak Energy will deploy several hundred megawatt hours of commercial-scale storage products to serve multiple IPP and hyperscaler partners over the next two years, with further announcements anticipated this fall. Peak Energy is on track to fulfill its commitment to develop grid scale battery supply chains, with its first U.S. cell factory under development and planned to start production in 2026. This news comes just one year after Peak raised its $55M Series A and less than two years since launching from stealth in 2023.
