Next-gen chemistry delivers three times the cycle life of lithium-ion
UNIGRID Sodium-Ion Technology Redefines Energy Storage Bankability
SAN DIEGO, March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — UNIGRID Inc., the ultra-safe sodium-ion battery company, today announced a breakthrough in long-cycle life cell performance, setting a new benchmark for the stationary storage industry. Its proprietary NaCrO2 (NCO) sodium-ion chemistry has achieved 5,000 full-depth cycles (100% depth of discharge) with greater than 95% capacity retention in commercial-grade cells. This milestone translates to an expected cycle life of 20,000 and operational life of up to 25 years, finally bringing battery lifespan in line with the multi-decade warranties of solar PV assets.
For more than a decade, solar-plus-storage projects have operated with a built-in mismatch. Solar panels are designed to perform for 25 years or longer, yet conventional lithium-ion batteries typically degrade within 7 to 10 years under daily 100% depth of discharge cycling. This disparity forces project owners to budget for costly mid-life battery replacements, introducing reinvestment risk, complicating financing structures, and undermining long-term bankability.
UNIGRID’s proprietary NCO chemistry eliminates that structural weakness. By delivering more than three times the cycle life of conventional lithium-ion systems, UNIGRID transforms energy storage from a depreciating, replacement-driven component into long-life, financeable infrastructure. The result is energy storage designed to last as long as the assets it powers.
“This 25-year lifespan changes the economics of energy storage,” said Darren H. S. Tan, CEO of UNIGRID. “Instead of planning for costly battery replacements halfway through a project, operators can now align storage with the full life of their solar assets. That opens the door to more predictable financing models like Battery-as-a-Service and long-term energy leasing, while reducing risk and lowering lifetime costs across the grid.”
UNIGRID’s technology is uniquely suited for high-utilization applications where reliability, safety, and longevity are critical. From renewable energy storage systems (RESS) that cycle daily alongside solar and wind assets, to commercial and industrial (C&I) microgrids requiring dependable, long-life performance, UNIGRID’s sodium-ion platform is built for sustained operation. The technology is also well positioned for datacenters and UPS systems, where uptime is non-negotiable, as well as extreme weather backup scenarios where conventional lithium-ion batteries often suffer performance degradation.
To learn more about UNIGRID’s technology, visit the website.
About UNIGRID, Inc.
UNIGRID, Inc. delivers safe, low-cost, advanced sodium-ion batteries to power energy storage and motive applications. It’s a University of California, San Diego spin-off company founded in 2021 based on the groundbreaking Ph.D. research work of Dr. Darren H. S. Tan and Dr. Erik A. Wu. To learn more about UNIGRID, Inc., visit the website: https://unigridbattery.com.
Media Contact
Geena Pickering
Look Left Marketing
unigrid@lookleftmarketing.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/17f97e3d-bac7-4fd4-8e67-41d531700aba
