Inlyte Energy Secures Major Utility Contract with Southern Co. for Iron-Sodium Battery Tech
Inlyte Energy, a startup founded in 2021, has secured a significant utility contract with Southern Co. The company aims to prove the viability of its iron-sodium battery technology, marking an early step in its commercialization journey.
Inlyte Energy, led by Antonio Baclig, plans to install an 80-kilowatt/1.5-megawatt-hour demonstration project near Birmingham, Alabama, by the end of the year. This project comes after the company successfully conducted third-party engineering tests on a 100-cell module, which performed as expected on its first attempt.
The company's unique battery design, based on the iron-sodium chemistry from the late 1970s, offers several advantages. It uses dirt-cheap materials, has a simpler manufacturing process, and boasts system-level round-trip efficiency comparable to technology like lithium-ion batteries. Inlyte Energy's goal is to provide solar-plus-storage baseload power at a cost lower than fossil fuels.
Inlyte Energy's journey began when Antonio Baclig chose to revive the iron-sodium battery chemistry, previously explored by Beta Research and used in specialized applications like NATO rescue submarines. Baclig collaborated with 3M to commercialize the technology, founding Inlyte Energy in 2021. The company later successfully acquired Beta Research, a rare feat for startups.
Inlyte Energy's progress has been supported by an $8 million seed round closed in 2023. The funding came after the company scaled up its battery cells and conducted successful third-party engineering tests. This utility contract with Southern Co. is another significant milestone in the company's early commercialization efforts.
Inlyte Energy's demonstration project with Southern Co. is set to prove the viability of its iron-sodium battery technology. With its dirt-cheap materials, simpler manufacturing process, and competitive efficiency, Inlyte Energy aims to provide solar-plus-storage baseload power at a cost lower than fossil fuels. The company's journey, from reviving old technology to securing a utility contract, is a testament to its innovative approach in the energy storage sector.
