Nantenergy, Inc. (former Fluidic Energy Corporation) is dedicated to the development and commercialization of high-performance, cost-effective, clean and sustainable energy storage products. The company has developed a breakthrough rechargeable metal-air battery, which contains high energy metals and utilizes free atmospheric oxygen to store large amounts of energy. Potential applications include back-up power, diesel generator replacement, electric grid optimization and renewable energy integration.

Their proprietary zinc-air batteries can be coupled with their energy management software, to increase reliability and functionality.

NantEnergy is actively expanding their network of channel partners in the U.S., and offers integrated, end-to-end support for partners adding storage to commercial behind-the-meter solar projects – including EPCs, developers, and solar distributors.

NantEnergy has raised a total of $61.6M in funding over 3 rounds. Their latest funding was raised on Nov 28, 2016. NantEnergy is funded by Asia Climate Partners (ACP) and IFC Venture Capital Group.

Zinc-air Batteries

Rugged, long-duration, pollution-free technology for a wide range of energy storage needs, from remote microgrids to utility-scale virtual power plants.

Zinc-air batteries use available oxygen from the atmosphere to extract power from zinc, one of the most common and abundant metals on earth. For this reason, the zinc-air battery production costs are low compared to other rechargeable batteries today. In addition to this foundational attribute, zinc-air batteries are also safer, more abuse tolerant, and have longer standby life as compared to lead acid, lithium-ion, and flow batteries.

Because of its abundant supply, low cost, and fundamental stability, zinc is the ultimate electron-donating element – which is why it’s been used in every alkaline battery ever produced. Replacing a costly second electrode with one that breathes air, the zinc-air cell uses a new technology—one that doesn’t need costly and rare materials, and can be manufactured locally—thereby reducing reliance on imports, and contributing to jobs and the local economy. Integrated with high-efficiency PV panels, zinc-air storage delivers a renewable, reliable, and affordable source of power.

Zinc-air + Li-ion battery

Zinc-air + Li-ion battery hybrid energy storage systems are ideal for customers seeking resiliency, lower technology and energy costs, and access to grid service revenue streams.

Hybrid systems capitalize on the benefits and strengths of two (or more) complimenting components, and when integrated wisely, can deliver a 1+1=3 resultant solution. Zinc-air’s lowest-cost, deep-discharge/long-duration characteristics match the high-rate capabilities of more expensive Li-ion technology. This unique combination provides an ideal hybrid solution for the most demanding energy storage applications – and NantEnergy is the only company with this type of hybrid energy storage offering.

Combining Li-ion batteries with long duration zinc-air batteries provides a superior ROI for the end-user by leveraging each battery format to work within its strengths. For instance, NantEnergy has deployed hundreds of Zn-air/Li-ion hybrid systems across the globe for village electrification applications; these remarkable hybrid systems deliver good cost performance benefits as compared to any other solitary battery choice, such as lead acid, NiCds, or even pure Li-ion. Diesel fuel transportation logistics are extremely prohibitive for off-grid power projects, requiring 100% dependence on solar generation; our hybrid system is the perfect solution. The ultra-low $/kWh costs and long-duration Zn-air portion of the hybrid becomes the diesel surrogate, enabling extremely high (local) grid availability throughout the year. Any other battery equivalently sized to deliver this type of backup would be cost-prohibitive, yet our two-part hybrid delivers a two-part benefit: Extended duration, less cost.

Hybrid Li-ion/Zn-air energy storage systems deliver energy for short-, mid-, and long-term applications—a feat not achievable by any one technology. This innovative new system can address the power and energy needs of a wide range of customers; it also offers several synergies for those customers seeking resiliency, lower technology and energy costs, and seeking to capture grid service revenue streams.

Price per kWh, tied to project's energy capacity.

Zinc-air Battery

• Long duration:a single 750Wh Zinc-air cell will power a standard 6w LED bulb for 5 days. It would take 34 standard 18650 Lithium-ion battery cells—and cost 3x more—to do the same.
• Eco-Friendly Chemistry: humanely sourced, recycleable battery solutions
• Produced Locally: create high quality, custom solutions in any market
• Theft Free: reduce losses with a lead-acid free solution
• Safety: Non-flammable chemistry,fire-free hardware

Hybrid energy storage systems:

• Ability to operate under dynamic conditions and multiple use cases, without compromising system health.
• Reduction of total investment costs (relative to a single, pure-play technology), resulting from the decoupling of energy and power.
• Increase in total system efficiency by operating at algorithmically optimized points, resulting in less thermodynamic loss.
• Increase storage system lifetime due to reduction of dynamic stress on the system per cycle.
• For short, mid and long term storage applications.

Making Energy Storage Smart NantEnergy’s predictive software maximizes the use of solar resources, minimizes the need for grid power at peak times, and instantly switches to stored energy to flatten demand peaks.

While NantEnergy’s breakthrough zinc-air batteries are practical for storage, it is the company’s advanced energy management software that gives this reliable recharging system so much flexibility. Utilizing embedded sensors and code, this innovative software is able to offer the customer unparalleled transparency in product performance, health assessment, and control.

The intelligence and management functions-built into both the individual cell and module levels-enable the end-user to conduct previously unattainable analytics of their operations, including outage duty cycle profiles, load profiles, real-time tampering or vandalism alarms, cell health, diesel runtime, and more. These capabilities offer customers an extraordinary degree of operational storage intelligence.

• Governments can gather data from remote microgrids, to assess the growing energy needs or actual energy sustainability of these remote communities.
• Utilities can capture an instant picture of how storage is meeting peak demand.
• Commercial and industrial businesses can have visibility into their energy savings—in real-time.
• And for customers that want to shift their energy spending from a CapEx to an OpEx, NantEnergy’s systems are also available as EaaS (Energy-as-a-Service) systems; this model represents the future of storage for every use, in every part of the world.

NantEnergy's solutions serve as the core of distributed commercial and industrial energy management systems, remote microgrids, and reliable backup power systems to critical wireless infrastructure.

Thanks to their technology, more than 200,000 people in villages across rural Indonesia and Africa have access to electricity, many for the first time. That same technology gives commercial and industrial customers significant reductions in their electricity costs, in many cases eliminating demand charges entirely.

Remote microgrids NantEnergy’s eco-friendly energy storage solutions sharply reduce the maintenance and logistical costs of remote microgrids. Bringing electricity to remote and island populations beyond the practical range of the grid is a challenge faced by developing economies around the world.

The solutions of the past were imperfect at best. Diesel generators create local air and noise pollution and require regular fuel deliveries to these difficult-to-access locations. Traditional lead-acid batteries quickly degrade in the intemperate climates and wear out—if they’re not stolen first. Either way, frequent replacements are necessary, and safe disposal of used batteries can be difficult. These drawbacks, along with the cost of maintenance, make these systems impractical or impossible to deploy.

NantEnergy’s zinc-based energy storage systems, coupled with renewable energy from solar PV, provide a clean, dependable solution with lower total costs than competing solutions. Whether your remote microgrid is government funded, privately financed, or uses an EaaS (Energy-as-a-Service) model, the NantEnergy solution enables you to bring more power to more people, boosting the economy and improving lives.

Grid-tied microgrid

NantEnergy’s technology can be deployed for institutional, community, and military microgrids.

With energy resilience a must, there is a global shift toward investing in smaller, cleaner, and smarter distributed energy resources. Microgrids based on renewable generation—like solar—with advanced intelligent battery storage not only provide reliable power, they also allow aggregation and optimization, creating virtual power plants.

NantEnergy’s zinc-based batteries are technologically advanced and environmentally friendly, providing cost-effective and long-term power. Managed with our predictive software, NantEnergy can offer integrated microgrids that are efficient, intelligent, and long-lived.

Utility

Utilities face a range of challenges in meeting changing grid demands, whether from the growth of EVs, managing peak demand, increasing reliability, or as a result of deferring investment in transmission and distribution lines. At the same time, the growth of renewable energy sources is accelerating, driven by consumer demand and government regulations. Energy storage is playing a significant role in helping utilities efficiently operate in this changing environment.

Energy storage using the zinc-based batteries developed by NantEnergy offers a combination of low cost, proven reliability, and extended durability that make this technology the perfect choice for many power and utility needs.

Storage systems, including Zn-air/Li-ion hybrid systems paired with solar PV, can provide utilities with additional resources to replace gas-fired peaker plants, or for transmission and distribution deferral at congested nodes. With both residential and business customers adding EVs and other demands to the grid, utilities can maintain reliable service and satisfy dynamic demand cost-effectively and without the siting and regulatory costs associated with gas-fired plants. What’s more, microgrids that use advanced energy storage systems are increasingly proving to be an important asset for utilities that want to create “resilience zones” or replace expensive last-mile distribution for remote sites, such as communications towers.

Zn-air/Li-ion hybrid systems also can maintain frequency stability during load swings or emergencies, and ensure the continued reliable operation of the grid.

NantEnergy’s range of solutions, including hybrid energy storage systems, are available in a variety of capacities.

Commercial & Industrial

NantEnergy SmartStorage™ systems also equip the user with cost-effective backup power capability, minimizing the impact of power outages that cost today’s U.S. businesses in excess of $57 billion per year, according to IEEE. This increases the value of our systems beyond mere savings in utility expenses; they require no fuel and minimal maintenance, making them the superior choice over diesel generators. When the grid goes down, the energy storage system comes online allowing continued operation with no disruption to your business or topline.