Inlyte Energy Completes Iron-Sodium Battery Factory Test

Inlyte Energy, industry experts in iron-sodium battery systems and long-duration energy storage, has completed a factory acceptance test of its first full-scale iron-sodium battery energy storage system at its facility near Derby, United Kingdom. The test was witnessed by representatives from Southern Company, marking a key milestone in validating system performance and integration readiness ahead of field deployment.

The tested system integrates advanced sodium metal chloride battery cells with an inverter and control electronics, representing Inlyte’s first field-ready configuration. According to the company, the successful factory acceptance test demonstrates progress toward commercialization, with an initial field installation planned with Southern Company in early 2026.

Global demand for energy storage continues to accelerate, with industry projections indicating growth from approximately $70 billion in 2025 to more than $150 billion by 2030. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Energy projects that achieving a future U.S. grid will require more than 225 gigawatts of long-duration energy storage by 2050—capacity that exceeds what lithium-ion technologies can deliver at scale. For utilities, long-duration energy storage is increasingly viewed as essential to maintaining reliability, improving resilience during extreme weather events, and managing long-term system costs.

The iron-sodium battery system tested by Inlyte incorporates what the company describes as the world’s largest sodium metal chloride battery cells and modules constructed to date, each capable of storing more than 300 kilowatt-hours of energy. During the factory acceptance test, the system achieved 83% round-trip efficiency, including auxiliaries, a performance level the company states is competitive with high-performance lithium-ion systems and above efficiency ranges typical of other long-duration energy storage technologies.

“To win the future, we need abundant and secure supplies of energy in the U.S., and at the same time, we need to make costs go down, not up,” said Antonio Baclig, CEO of Inlyte Energy. “We can’t do that by building the same thing as China. We need to make better technologies, with batteries that are fundamentally lower cost, safer, and longer lasting. By leveraging a breakthrough in the use of iron in the proven sodium metal chloride battery, Inlyte can scale rapidly.”

Southern Company’s research and development team observed the test firsthand and evaluated system performance and integration as part of the project acceptance process. Following the successful test, Inlyte’s first energy storage systems are scheduled for installation at Southern Company’s Energy Storage Test Site in Wilsonville, Alabama.

“Energy storage is essential for creating a reliable and flexible energy grid,” said Steve Baxley, Southern Company energy storage and use research and development manager. “As the grid evolves toward longer-duration storage, developing solutions that are both low-cost and safe is critical to ensuring affordable, dependable service for customers. Inlyte’s successful system test represents a meaningful step in validating the iron-sodium battery technology for future applications. We look forward to continuing our research collaboration with Inlyte as this technology moves close to real-world deployment.”

With technical readiness demonstrated and customer validation underway, Inlyte is advancing plans for U.S. manufacturing and commercialization. The company is finalizing site selection for its first domestic production facility, targeted for 2026. In parallel, Inlyte has announced a strategic partnership with HORIEN Salt Battery Solutions, a producer of sodium metal chloride batteries with more than 25 years of commercial deployment across applications, including critical power, remote industrial systems, and grid-scale energy storage. Through the partnership, the companies plan to combine HORIEN’s manufacturing experience with Inlyte’s system-integration capabilities, with commercial deliveries scheduled for 2027.

About Inlyte Energy

Inlyte Energy develops iron-sodium battery technologies to enable safe, cost-effective, domestically produced short- and long-duration energy storage. The company focuses on non-lithium battery chemistries to address reliability, scalability, and cost challenges in grid-scale energy storage. Inlyte’s modular battery systems are designed for deployment across electric utility infrastructure, industrial facilities, data centers, and other critical energy applications requiring resilient power storage over extended durations. By leveraging sodium metal chloride chemistry and system-level integration, the company aims to provide storage solutions suited to long-duration discharge, grid resiliency, and evolving energy system demands. With an emphasis on manufacturability and domestic production, Inlyte is advancing battery technologies that support the transition to a more flexible, reliable, and sustainable energy infrastructure. For more information, please click here.

Source/Photo Credit: Inlyte Energy

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