No Fire Risk and No Cooling. First Commercial Contract for Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries

California-based EnerVenue has signed its first commercial, multi-megawatt-scale contract (11 MWh) for its lithium-free aqueous metal cell technology. A total of 26 containerized Energy Prism systems will be delivered to one of the oil and gas sector giants in northern China, where they will be used to store energy from a local photovoltaic farm.

Order Details and Delivery Schedule

The contract covers the delivery of complete DC-side containerized systems, ready for connection to power conversion equipment:

• Total capacity – 11 MWh (26 Energy Prism containers).
• Application – PV energy self-consumption and power supply stabilization at an operational oil field.
• Schedule – the first 3 units will be shipped in December 2026, with the remaining 23 scheduled for March 2027.
• Manufacturing site – EnerVenue’s newly opened automated production line in Changzhou, with an initial capacity of 250 MWh per year, planned to expand to 1 GWh in 2027 and several GWh by 2028.

Space-Proven Technology Brought to Ground-Based Energy Storage

The systems use 4th-generation Aqueous Metal Cells, based on nickel-hydrogen chemistry — a technology proven under extreme conditions, including on the International Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope. EnerVenue has adapted the technology by using lower-cost materials suitable for stationary energy storage.

Key technical parameters of AMC cells:

• A lifespan of up to 30,000 cycles and as much as 30 years of operation without the need for capacity augmentation.
• Depth of discharge – 100%.
• Efficiency – above 90% at peak.
• Operating temperature range from -20°C to 60°C without the need for active cooling.
• A non-toxic, aqueous electrolyte. The technology fully eliminates the risk of thermal runaway, as confirmed by UL 9540A testing, with no fire propagation observed.

Lifecycle Economics Instead of a Low Upfront Battery Cost

The main factors behind the decision to select EnerVenue for the oil field were fire safety and total cost of ownership. The company’s CEO, Henning Rath, emphasizes that the technology delivers superior cost-effectiveness over a 30-year horizon because it does not require expensive cooling installations, dedicated fire suppression systems, or the replacement of worn modules during operation.