Sodium-Ion Battery Deals
ESS Tech and Alsym Energy Built Its Non-Lithium Energy Storage Platform
Adam Harrie — May 8, 2026ESS Tech and Alsym Energy signed a letter of intent to integrate their technologies into a comprehensive non-lithium energy storage offering. Alsym's sodium-ion batteries support short- and medium-duration applications with fast charge and discharge cycles, while ESS's iron flow platform provides 8 to 24-hour storage using iron, salt and water, with no capacity degradation over a 25-year lifespan.
Alsym's batteries are thermally stable and non-combustible, eliminating the need for fire-suppression and HVAC infrastructure typically required for lithium-ion systems. The deal adds 8.5GWh of sodium-ion capacity to ESS's portfolio and uses materials sourced from outside foreign entities of concern.
As energy storage demand outpaces lithium supply chains, ESS and Alsym show how combining complementary non-lithium chemistries can provide utilities and industrial customers with a safer, more resilient path to grid-scale storage.