ESS Tech, a non-lithium battery storage company, has signed a preliminary agreement with renewable energy developer Juniper Energy to potentially deploy at least 500 MWh of sodium-ion battery storage systems by 2032, in what could become a major expansion of non-lithium storage in the US. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion systems rely on sodium and other more abundant materials, potentially reducing exposure to supply chain constraints associated with critical battery minerals. “This agreement with Juniper Energy validates ESS’s strategy to expand our technology portfolio and bring sodium-ion energy storage to market,” said Drew Buckley, CEO of ESS. “Juniper Energy is focused on partnering with companies that can successfully bring innovative energy technologies from development into commercial operation,” said Keith McDaniels, Managing Partner of Juniper Energy. We look forward to working together to validate the ESS Bridge energy storage platform and support its broader adoption across future energy storage projects.”