Energy Vault inks deal to use batteries to store excess nuclear energy

Under the new partnership, the Californian company will provide its B-Vault battery energy storage systems (BESS) to back NuSun mini reactors at data centers. It will also provide its VaultOS energy management system and even draw on its gravity energy storage R&D to help in the composition of the reactor containment structures.
Energy Vault's B-Vault™ lithium battery technology. | Image: Energy Vault

Californian energy storage company Energy Vault has announced a strategic partnership with nuclear energy company NuCube Energy which will see the former’s B-Vault BESS used to store excess electricity from a planned roll-out of mini nuclear reactors.

The partners envisage NuSun “microreactors” will be deployed in single or multi-unit blocks to provide energy for artificial intelligence-driven data centers, with Energy Vault BESS providing storage capacity in a system which will be co-ordinated by Energy Vault’s VaultOS energy management system software.

A press release issued by Energy Vault on Wednesday, to announce the partnership, said the research undertaken by the Californian business into its gravity and kinetic energy based long duration energy storage technology will help inform the “shielding and containment system” for NuSun installations.

The press release stated: “Energy Vault will leverage expertise in advanced material science technologies from its gravity storage research and development to expedite the development of shielding and containment systems utilized by NuSun. This involves using specialized composite admixtures to enhance safety while streamlining production for large-scale deployment.”

NuCube said its “walk-away safe nuclear reactors” are enclosed in a stainless steel containment vessel and are transportable. The company said they feature “triso” fuel which has been approved by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The United States Department of Energy website states, “Triso stands for tri-structural Isotropic particle fuel. Each triso particle is made up of a uranium, carbon, and oxygen fuel kernel. The kernel is encapsulated by three layers of carbon- and ceramic-based materials that prevent the release of radioactive fission products.”

The Energy Vault press release stated the safety characteristics of NuSun units “are such that the expected emergency zone planning … of the reactor will be limited to the building itself. To shorten the licensing timeline, NuCube’s design uses materials and fuel which have been characterized and, in some instances, already approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.”

Energy Vault said it intends to deploy B-Vault backed and VaultOS-configured NuSun reactors “by the end of 2028/beginning of 2029.”

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