Cambridge EnerTech’s

Large-Scale Energy Storage

Designing and Deploying High-Capacity Battery Systems for Infrastructure-Scale Applications

March 25 - 26, 2026 ALL TIMES EDT

 

As electrification expands across sectors, from renewable energy integration and industrial operations to data centers and microgrids, the need for reliable, high-capacity energy storage at scale has become increasingly urgent. Developing battery systems capable of meeting these demands requires advances in electrochemical stability, cycle life, thermal safety, and system-level energy management. Beyond the grid, large-scale storage must address challenges in footprint, modularity, cost, and operational efficiency across varied environments. Cambridge EnerTech’s Large-Scale Energy Storage conference brings together experts in battery chemistry, system engineering, and infrastructure deployment to share strategies for building robust, scalable, and application-ready storage solutions that enable the next generation of energy infrastructure.

Wednesday, March 25

12:35 pmRegistration Open

12:35 pmNetworking Luncheon

1:20 pmDessert Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)

EXPLORING CHEMISTRIES FOR EVOLVING AND INCREASING ENERGY-STORAGE NEEDS

1:50 pm

Chairperson's Remarks

Brandon Kelly, PhD, Chief Scientist, Peak Energy

1:55 pm

Revolutionizing Battery Technology with Aluminum: Clean, Efficient Energy Storage with No Thermal Runaway

Gunjan Agarwal, CEO, Zenthos Energy

Zenthos Energy is building pioneering energy storage solutions that enable a low-cost, secure, and sustainable supply chain by utilizing aluminum-based chemistries. In addition to being an abundant resource, Aluminum offers superior performance attributes that cannot be found with rare earth minerals. The density of Aluminum batteries is 2-5 times higher than Lithium batteries. Zenthos has performed extensive third-party validation proving that its batteries are non-flammable and do not go into thermal runaway. Together, these factors enable an unprecedented combination of performance, safety, and integrity, redefining battery innovation across applications.

2:25 pm

From Pilot to Grid: Delivering Reliability, Safety, and Speed with Sodium-ion

Brandon Kelly, PhD, Chief Scientist, Peak Energy

Peak Energy’s sodium-ion systems are transitioning from pilot validation to grid deployment, demonstrating a new benchmark for reliability, safety, and deployment speed. This talk will share insights from early MWh-scale installations, highlighting how simplified architecture and stable chemistry enable rapid, low-risk deployment for utility-scale storage. Sodium-ion’s proven field performance positions it as a scalable, dependable solution to meet accelerating global electricity demand.

2:55 pm LFP vs. NCA in AI Data Center BBUs: Aligning Cell Chemistries with Performance Priorities

Kiyokazu Oiyama, Vice President, CEO Office, Tenpower Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.

The rapid scaling of high-density AI clusters is pushing the limits of power density and thermal management for data center BBUs. Within constrained rack footprints, system design dictates a critical engineering trade-off in cell chemistry: leveraging LFP for superior safety margins and lifespan, or NCA to maximize volumetric energy density and transient power delivery. To address these demands, Tenpower has engineered Tabless 21700 cylindrical cells optimized for high-power backup, advancing both LFP and NCA pathways. This presentation will share comparative empirical data of these two chemistries built on an identical Tabless architecture. The technical content will center on three core cell-level dimensions: Ultimate Safety Design, Instantaneous High-Power Response, and Ultra-Long Calendar Life. By detailing these test results, the session will provide engineering teams with quantifiable metrics to support cell selection based on specific system-level priorities.

3:25 pmRefreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)

3:55 pm

Electrolyte Innovation to Unlock High-Performance Aqueous Energy Storage

Emily Dickens, CCO, Octet Scientific

Aqueous batteries offer a safe, low-cost pathway for long-duration energy storage, but their adoption is limited by parasitic reactions, plating instabilities, and electrolyte degradation. Octet Scientific develops novel electrolyte additives that address these barriers, enabling higher round-trip efficiency, improved plating reversibility, and longer cycle life. In this presentation, we will share case studies in zinc–air, zinc–bromine, and near-neutral zinc systems, showing efficiency, capacity and cycle life gains leading to significant cost reductions. Learn why electrolyte innovation is critical for aqueous batteries, how molecular-level design translates into performance improvements, and how these advances accelerate scalable, grid-ready energy storage.

4:25 pm

Low-Cost Organic Electrolytes for Next-Generation Flow Batteries

Meisam Bahari, PhD, CTO, Quino Energy

Flow batteries have proven their reliability and scalability, with gigawatt-hours of capacity already deployed worldwide. Yet, their broader adoption has been constrained by the high cost of conventional vanadium electrolytes. Quino Energy’s innovative organic electrolyte matches vanadium’s performance, safety, and lifetime at less than one-third of the cost, enabled by a zero-waste, continuous-flow manufacturing process that supports rapid global scale-up. Its distinctive chemistry is compatible with carbon steel tanks, cutting system cost, installation time, and footprint to roughly one-third that of lithium-ion batteries.

4:55 pm PANEL DISCUSSION:

We Have to Do the Work: Fostering Battery Innovation and Execution

PANEL MODERATOR:

Celina Mikolajczak, Advisor to the Battery Industry

The battery industry is experiencing supercharged growth despite shifting political and funding dynamics. This panel of experts examines our industry's future addressing emerging electrochemistries, growth prospects, key challenges, and achievable milestones for the near and long term.

Join this panel of experts as they explore:

  • What are the next steps?
  • Where is the funding?
  • Why collaboration is critical?​
PANELISTS:

Mei Cai, PhD, Senior Director, Battery Engineering, Fluence

Paige Johnson, Founder & CEO, Ten-Nine Technologies LLC

Johanna Nelson Weker, PhD, Lead Scientist, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

Dee Strand, PhD, CSO, R&D, Wildcat Discovery Technologies, Inc.

5:30 pmVolta Foundation Battery Social*

Join Volta Foundation for an Battery Social at International Battery Seminar & Exhibit in Orlando! Connect with fellow battery professionals, exchange ideas, build valuable relationships, and stay ahead in the rapidly evolving battery industry as the Volta Foundation Battery Social is the perfect place to engage with the brightest minds in the industry.

*separate registration required, please click here for details: https://learn.volta.foundation/ibse-2026

8:30 pmClose of Day

Thursday, March 26

INTERACTIVE LEADERSHIP BREAKFAST

7:25 AM -

Powering Impact: An Interactive Session on Technology, Market Strategy, and Execution in the Battery Economy

PANEL MODERATOR:

Christina Lampe-Önnerud, PhD, Founder and CEO, Cadenza Innovation

Battery innovation succeeds when technology, business strategy, and disciplined execution move in sync. In this one-hour plenary dialogue led by tech innovator made market shaper and global executive Dr. Christina Lampe-Onnerud, brings together engineers, marketers, project managers, emerging leaders and mentors to focus on advancing ideas in the high-growth battery industry. The session will center on three practical dimensions: how to position technical concepts in terms of customer value and cost-performance; how to communicate with credibility to executives, investors, and commercial partners; and how project leadership translates vision into milestones that matter. 

Come join us for this new initiative with coffee/tea and bagels around small tables with young professionals, mentors, managers, and senior executives—not as observers, but as active participants with a courageous commitment to sponsor talent, open doors, and strengthen execution cultures. The call to action is clear: bridge science and market reality, expand your network with intention, and help shape a battery industry that advances through both technical excellence and commercial clarity.

PANELISTS:

Marianne Meins, CTO & Executive Vice President, Emerging Technologies, Curtis Stout

Dee Strand, PhD, CSO, R&D, Wildcat Discovery Technologies, Inc.

Celina Mikolajczak, Advisor to the Battery Industry

Lucy Li, PhD, Senior Technical Program Manager, Cell, Peak Energy; Program Manager, Women in Batteries, Volta Foundation

Paige Johnson, Founder & CEO, Ten-Nine Technologies LLC

Mykela DeLuca, PhD, Program Dir, Battery Business Directory, Volta Foundation

8:00 amRegistration Open and Morning Coffee

DEPLOYING HIGH-CAPACITY BATTERY-STORAGE SYSTEMS: DATA CENTERS

8:55 am

Chairperson's Remarks 

Christina Peabody, Hardware Engineer, Google Inc.

9:00 am

Maximizing Grid-Scale Battery Investments with Power Electronics

John Glassmire, Vice President of Digital Enablement and Transformation, Hitachi Energy

Power electronics, despite being a relatively new technology in the grid, are revolutionizing the transition to an electrified energy ecosystem and creating new investment opportunities. When combined with cutting-edge controls, they unlock the frontiers of grid-scale battery investments, including DC-coupled solar-batteries driving efficiency and faster interconnection, enabling large-load interconnections to expedite data center, e-mobility, and industrial electrification. This practical talk will demystify power electronics, helping you make stronger BESS investments.

9:00 amCoffee Break in the Exhibit Hall

9:30 am

Cost-Effective and Energy-Efficient Megawatt Medium-Voltage Power Conversion for AI Data Centers and EV Fast Charging Stations

Chris Mi, PhD, Fellow, IEEE & SAE; Distinguished Professor, San Diego State University

This presentation explores novel megawatt-scale EV fast-charging stations powered directly from medium-voltage grid based on Loosely-Coupled Resonant Solid-State Transformers without the need for low-frequency transformers. The approach aims to reduce energy loss by 70%, footprint & weight by 50%, and cost by 25% compared to existing SST. It enables flexible and modular deployment and achieves more reliable operation in EV fast-charging stations, AI data-centers, and large-scale MWh energy storage systems. Reliability is considerably improved over existing technology. The technology has been validated in the laboratory and can be commercialized in fast-charging stations, AI-data centers, and MWh ESS within 3-5 years.

10:00 amBattery Booth Crawl with Bagels in the Exhibit Hall with Last Chance for Poster Viewing

10:45 am

Battery System Design for Hyperscale AI/ML Datacenters

Christina Peabody, Hardware Engineer, Google Inc.

Advanced, high-power batteries are key to datacenter power backup systems. Li-ion batteries are a common choice for datacenter energy storage systems, due to their versatility and significant power density and longevity benefits. This talk will discuss hyperscale datacenter power management challenges presented by the proliferation of AI/ML. Specifically, we will address how to incorporate batteries at different levels of the power system for optimal power management and system reliability.

11:15 am

Bridging Instant Power Supply and Long-Duration Storage

Ian Rock, Founder & CTO, TerraFlow Energy

The power infrastructure gap lies between traditional UPS, designed for seconds of protection, and long-duration storage, which provides hours of capacity but lacks instant response speed. This session explores engineering solutions that combine instantaneous UPS response with battery endurance for continuous power buffering, achieving sub-5 millisecond response and 10-hour-plus discharge. It compares lithium-based, flow, and alternative chemistries, focusing on degradation, serviceability, and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Use cases will cover data centers facing volatile grids, utilities, and industrial operators mitigating power quality challenges, highlighting pathways to redefine resilience.

11:45 amEnjoy Lunch on Your Own

DEPLOYING HIGH-CAPACITY BATTERY-STORAGE SYSTEMS

1:10 pm

Chairperson's Remarks 

Mei Cai, PhD, Senior Director, Battery Engineering, Fluence

1:15 pm

Jacksonville Battery Gigafactory in Florida: How a Fully Integrated Delivery Model Creates Value for BESS Solutions

Gerardo Rebollar, Director of Strategy, Marketing, and Transformation, Saft

With over 107 years of battery expertise, Saft presents its roadmap for flexible Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), highlighting the strategic setup of the Jacksonville Gigafactory in Florida. This session explores how a fully integrated delivery model—from battery manufacturing to full system integration solution—drives long-term value and sustainability for BESS applications. Attendees will gain insights into system design for 20-year lifespans, integration guidelines for successful deployment, and real-world examples from Saft’s global project portfolio. Discover how innovation, scale, and integration converge to unlock performance and economic benefits in energy storage.

1:45 pm

Optimizing BESS Batteries: Key Performance and Design Criteria

Mei Cai, PhD, Senior Director, Battery Engineering, Fluence

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) play a crucial role in integrating renewable energy sources and stabilizing power grids. This presentation focuses on the essential performance and design requirements for BESS batteries, highlighting factors such as energy density, cycle life, thermal management, and safety. We will discuss how optimizing these criteria can enhance the efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of BESS, ultimately supporting a sustainable energy future.

2:15 pm

BESS Cybersecurity and Supply Chain Security

Joseph O'Connor, Director, ESS Solutions, Engineering, Nuvation Energy

As energy storage grows, security and resilience are as critical as performance. For utility-scale BESS, North American components and in-house test systems strengthen grid reliability and independence. For behind-the-meter projects, robust physical and cyber protections ensure uptime, safe integration, and data security.

2:45 pm

Thermal Barrier Stability under Mechanical Load: Strategies for Safer, Higher-Density Battery Modules

Steven R Aubuchon, PhD, Marketing Development Lead, Electronics, WL Gore & Associates Inc

As BESS modules experience increasing compressive loads, traditional thermal barriers may lose thickness and thermal resistance, reducing their effectiveness in slowing thermal runaway propagation. This presentation reviews how compressive stress influences insulation performance and shares laboratory and field test results for a novel, thin, compression-stable thermal barrier. Findings illustrate how a durable and consistent thermal resistance under load can support safer, higher-density BESS module designs and improved mitigation strategies for controlling thermal runaway propagation. Specific examples from BESS mini-module testing which strategically paired an incompressible thermal barrier with a complementary compression material will be presented and discussed.

3:15 pmTransition to Closing Plenary

CLOSING PLENARY PANEL DISCUSSION

3:30 pm

Navigating the Global Battery Growth in Harmony with Shifting US Policy, Demanding Energy Security, and Big-Data Requirements

PANEL MODERATOR:

Christina Lampe-Önnerud, PhD, Founder and CEO, Cadenza Innovation

In a world where battery momentum continues to evolve, the industry is facing great uncertainty in policy and energy priorities. In this Plenary Closing Discussion, we are ending the conference with a thought-provoking and insightful panel of experts led by Christina Lampe-Onnerud to help us think through: Where is the US battery market going in the aftermath of the Big Beautiful Bill and how is this different in Europe and Asia? What are the effects on US electricity infrastructure with Energy Security, storage growth and Big Data supercharge? How do we as an industry navigate these uncertain times?

PANELISTS:

Eric Darcy, PhD, former Battery Technical Discipline Lead, NASA-JSC; Private Consultant, Darcy Batt Consulting, LLC

John Warner, DM, Chief Customer Officer, American Battery Solutions

Michael Liu, Director, Research & Insights, Volta Foundation

4:30 pmClose of Conference




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