Large-Scale Energy Storage

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.