Sodium-ion BESS is gaining momentum in the US and Europe. Peak Energy, ESS Inc, and Unigrid each announced new steps to scale commercial deployment in 2026. Together, these updates show how sodium-ion storage is moving from pilot projects to real manufacturing, utility applications, and residential systems.
Developers and investors continue to watch sodium-ion closely. The chemistry offers strong fire safety benefits, broad operating temperatures, and access to abundant raw materials. As a result, it is becoming an important option for grid-scale, commercial, and home energy storage.
Sodium-ion BESS expands through US manufacturing and Europe deployments
Several market signals now support faster adoption. First, sodium is one of the most abundant elements on Earth. Second, battery makers can build more domestic supply chains around it. In addition, sodium-ion batteries can support safer transport and reliable operation across varied climates. Therefore, energy storage companies are pushing ahead with commercial launches in both the US and Europe.
Peak Energy scales sodium-ion BESS production in California
Peak Energy selected Sacramento, California, for a new Sodium-ion Battery energy storage system manufacturing facility. The company announced the project on 8 July. Peak said the plant will produce up to 4GWh of BESS annually.
The Sacramento project includes up to US$71 million in capital investment. Moreover, it will create 239 local jobs over the next 18 months. Average annual salaries will exceed US$90,000. Peak also expects its wider California expansion to create 348 net new jobs across Sacramento and its Burlingame headquarters by 2030.
Peak received a US$10.5 million CalCompetes tax credit in May 2026. The company said Sacramento stood out for its manufacturing workforce, access to California’s growing storage market, and strong local support.
Importantly, Peak says it is commercialising the world’s first fully passive grid-scale BESS. The system is designed to run for more than 20 years without scheduled maintenance. It also aims to serve as a drop-in replacement for current BESS solutions.
Peak has also expanded its commercial pipeline. The company secured a multi-year phased agreement with Jupiter Power for up to 4.75GWh of sodium-ion BESS. In addition, Energy Vault announced a 1.5GWh strategic development agreement with Peak. RWE Americas will also pilot a 3.1MWh Peak system at its Eastern Wisconsin lab. Most recently, General Motors partnered with Peak to develop prototype sodium-ion cells in Michigan and invested through GM Ventures.
ESS Inc launches modular sodium-ion BESS for utilities and C&I users
ESS Inc also announced a new sodium-ion product on 8 July. The company launched ESS Bridge, a modular AC battery energy storage system for utilities, AI-driven data centres, critical infrastructure, and commercial and industrial customers.
ESS Bridge offers 1.2MWh in a single building block. The system includes battery cells, modules, racking, power conversion, cabling, and battery management hardware and software inside a 10-foot container. ESS also provides an energy management system for plant-level monitoring, optimisation, and control.
The modular design allows customers to stack units. As a result, they can reach up to 4.8MWh in the footprint of a traditional 20-foot battery container. This design helps maximise site utilisation. It also supports both commercial projects and larger utility-scale installations.
ESS said the Bridge platform removes the need for complex HVAC or liquid cooling systems. Furthermore, it supports charge and discharge durations from 1 to 16 hours or more, depending on configuration. The company also highlighted the use of widely available materials, which supports domestic sourcing and supply chain flexibility.
Earlier in 2026, ESS reported a partnership with Alsym Energy. That agreement adds 8.5GWh of sodium-ion cells and modules to ESS’s portfolio. Consequently, ESS is building a broader product offering around sodium-ion storage.
Unigrid brings sodium-ion BESS into European homes
Unigrid shipped its first-generation residential sodium-ion BESS, called Na+Casa, on 8 July. The first 9.25kWh units are already installed in homes across Europe. Meanwhile, the company expects US residential installations by the end of 2026 after completing remaining compliance steps.
Unigrid says its sodium chromium oxide technology is designed for a 25-year operating life. The company positions the product for backup power, solar self-consumption, and long-term energy resilience. It also says Na+Casa works with most existing hybrid inverters.
At present, Unigrid produces cells at a rate of 200MWh per year. However, it plans to expand to 2GWh per year in 2027 through foundry relationships in China, Korea, and Japan. This fab-less model allows the company to scale production without building its own gigafactories.
Unigrid also reported strong technical progress. In March, the company said its chemistry achieved 5,000 full-depth cycles at 100% depth of discharge while retaining more than 95% capacity in commercial-grade cells. Earlier, in January, it began international shipments of cathode cells at commercial volume.
What sodium-ion BESS growth means in 2026
These announcements show clear momentum for sodium-ion BESS in 2026. Peak Energy is building manufacturing scale in California. ESS Inc is launching modular systems for utility and C&I users. Unigrid is moving into the residential market in Europe and preparing for US home installations.
Together, these companies are expanding sodium-ion BESS across multiple segments. They are also bringing important capacity figures to market, including 4GWh from Peak, 8.5GWh added to ESS’s portfolio, and Unigrid’s planned move from 200MWh to 2GWh. Therefore, sodium-ion BESS is becoming a serious commercial storage option in both the US and Europe.
Disclaimer:
The content presented on this page has not been manually verified by our team.
While we strive to ensure accuracy, we cannot guarantee the validity, completeness,
or timeliness of the information provided. Always consult with appropriate professionals
or sources before making any decisions based on this content.
The image is randomly selected and doesn’t necessarily represent the company or the news above.
