Salzstrom secures its first commercial order for sodium-ion batteries in Germany.
Austrian battery manufacturer Salzstrom has secured its first commercial order for large-scale energy storage systems based on sodium iron phosphate technology. The contract marks the official start of mass commercial production for the company. The customer is the German R&D firm Isel-automation, which will receive three battery containers in Q3 2026 with a total capacity of approximately 7 MWh (each rated at 2.3 MWh). According to Salzstrom, the deal is valued in the single-digit million-euro range.
First such containers in Europe: no fire risk and minimal cooling needs
The large-scale storage systems will be installed across three industrial facilities owned by Isel-automation in Germany. Each site already operates its own photovoltaic installations of around 500 kW. The new sodium-based batteries will provide a total power capacity of approximately 1.25 MW, with detailed specifications varying slightly between locations.
Salzstrom emphasizes that it will take full responsibility for key aspects of project delivery. The company is in charge of system design, component selection, power conversion system integration, energy management systems, commissioning, and long-term operation. According to the company, this is the first commercial deployment of sodium iron phosphate containerized battery systems in Europe, with the goal of rapidly scaling the technology across the European market.
A major advantage of the new technology is its exceptional safety profile. According to Salzstrom, the batteries use fully non-flammable cells and can operate across an extremely wide temperature range. They are capable of discharging efficiently at temperatures as low as –40°C. This extreme cold tolerance significantly reduces the need for heating and cooling systems in the container, directly lowering operating costs.
More durable and cheaper than mainstream LFP
The manufacturer claims the sodium-based technology is particularly well suited for high-power applications. The company states that under high-current operation, its cells show significantly less degradation and wear compared to widely used lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.
With these advantages, Salzstrom aims to eventually dominate the industrial and commercial energy storage segment. Its offering is targeted at companies seeking to reduce electricity bills, maximize self-consumption of rooftop solar energy, and optimize grid connection capacity without costly infrastructure upgrades.