The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a cumulative $15 million through its Critical Facility Energy Resilience (CiFER) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to three pioneering grid-scale storage projects, signaling a strategic focus on fire-resilient and non-lithium battery technologies amidst a challenging federal funding landscape. The recipients – iron-sodium battery startup Inlyte Energy, Binghamton University, and a collaboration between developer Long Hill Energy Partners and quinone flow battery maker Quino Energy – are set to deploy innovative solutions aimed at bolstering energy resilience for critical infrastructure.

Long Hill Energy Partners, in conjunction with Quino Energy, secured funding for a project at a hospital site in Los Angeles County, a region identified as a high fire risk zone. Ed Chiao, founder of Long Hill, highlighted the critical need for robust energy solutions, noting the facility's current lack of diesel generators for blackout resilience. This project will leverage Quino’s non-flammable quinone flow battery technology, which is inherently safer than conventional lithium-ion systems, making it particularly well-suited for vulnerable applications.

Similarly, Inlyte Energy's project will be situated at the Alliance Redwoods conference grounds in Occidental, California, within a high wildfire risk corridor in Sonoma County. Ben Kaun, Inlyte’s Chief Commercial Officer, emphasized the site's role as a vital community resilience hub and CalFire staging point during active fires. Inlyte’s iron-sodium batteries, which utilize abundant and low-cost minerals, align with the DOE’s preference for U.S.-made, low-cost energy storage with a consistent and reliable supply chain.

Binghamton University’s award will focus on developing a bio-mineralized lithium mixed-metal phosphate battery, representing another avenue for enhancing battery safety and sustainability. While lithium-ion remains a dominant technology, its thermal runaway risks have led to increased scrutiny and siting restrictions in fire-prone areas, as noted by Eugene Beh, Quino’s founder and CEO. Both Beh and Kaun underscored that alternative chemistries offer significant value to communities, providing safer alternatives that can maintain power during critical events like wildfires.

These awards underscore a growing industry recognition of the need for diversified energy storage solutions that prioritize safety and supply chain stability. The projects aim to demonstrate that non-flammable battery systems can provide reliable and robust energy resilience, challenging the prevailing reliance on lithium-ion in all applications and paving the way for broader adoption of alternative chemistries in critical infrastructure and high-risk environments.