There's no shortage of lists available to summarize 2024, but here at Darcy, we have a unique data set with activity on Darcy Connect from over 10,000 energy company Connect Users. Our data highlights which innovators gained most attention on Darcy Connect through views, clicks, likes, follows, meetings scheduled, fundings, and other factors. Combined with analysis from our Research Team about technology developments and market traction, we have selected the Top 10 Innovators from 2024 in each of our coverage channels. This is our way of saying: "these are the innovators that your peers are most interested in, and that our Researchers view as novel and impactful - so you should learn more about them". In this article, you will find the Innovators that made it on the list in the category of Grid-Scale Energy Resources (utility-scale generation and energy storage, grid interconnection, industrial electrification).

But there is far more detail to look at than what you'll find here.

• The Innovator names are all linked to their Storefront, where you can find in-depth information on their products, business models, and our Research Team's insights. Here, Connect Users are able to schedule meetings with the Innovators or request updates.
• Throughout Q1, you will find weekly articles like this with Top 10 lists from our Oil & Gas, Power & Utilities, Sustainability, and Energy Transition research programs.
• All articles will be followed by a Darcy Live Event. On the Event page, you can find the full Darcy Live schedule for Q1.

Here you can find our event for Grid-Scale Energy Resources, Best of 2024: Grid-Scale Energy Resources, scheduled for February 6th, 2025.

The Top 10 Innovators from 2024 in Grid-Scale Energy Resources are (in alphabetical order based on each theme):

• FlexGen: originally a Li-ion battery energy storage integrator who started focusing primarily on their HybridOS EMS. In 2024 partnered with Eos to deliver the first integrated BESS with a technology aside from incumbent Li-ion, they also launched their proprietary US-based BMS.
• ESS: famous for their iron-salt flow batteries, utilizing no toxic or explosive or corrosive materials. Last year they received $50M in funding to triple their production capacity in the US and $65M for their manufacturing plant in Australia. They also were selected by the California Energy Commission to Demonstrate Utility-Scale Resilient Microgrids.
• Form Energy: one of the most prominent LDES technology providers with their iron-air batteries for multi-day LDES (up to 100h of continuous discharge). Secured $405M in funding to expand manufacturing at their facility, one of the largest fundings last year on clean tech, and were able to begin trial production in 2024. Also announced their first commercial deployment project with Great River Energy. Is also in ongoing agreements with Georgia Power, PSE and Xcel Energy.
• Turboden: a large-scale heat pump (MW-scale) provider whose technology exceeds 200°C for industrial and district heating applications. They are among the few vendors with operating projects, with a commercialized pilot in Italy and a full-scale project in Finland that is being commissioned this February and is expected to be fully commercialized in March.
• Pearl Street Technologies: provides an AI-driven grid modeling and optimization tools to improve power grid design and operation. Partnered with multiple utilities in the US in 2024 to streamline grid interconnection studies, reducing project timelines by 30%.
• Energy Dome: which operates a 1.5MW/4MWh in Italy, the first commercial plant with this technology and are now also building a full-scale 20 MW/200MW plant expected to be operational in 2025 in Italy and another 1.5MW/4MWh plant in the US.
• Energy Vault: after changing its business model and starting to work as a Li-ion BESS integrator in 2022, was able to commercialize their first gravity-based mechanical energy storage project in China of no less than 25MW/100MWh. On the BESS front, they launched a 1 GWh project in Australia and secured financing for a microgrid in California in partnership with PG&E.
• Highview Power: grid-scale LAES demonstration site has been in operation for over two years with work underway in 2024 for a 50MW / 300MWh plant.
• Antora: among the few TES vendors developing power-to-heat and power-to-power systems for applications at industrial and grid-scale. It completed its first large-scale commercial deployment and raised $150M in 2024 and it reached the highest storage temperature demonstrated to date at full scale (1800° C).
• X1 Wind: for its development of a floating platform that aligns with the wind direction autonomously - in 2024 they built their first large-scale prototype in Spain.

Let us know if you have any questions or comments about this list in the comment section below. We're looking forward to another year of exciting and insightful research!