Bringing Lithium Sulfur Technology to Market
The purpose of this project is to demonstrate a lithium-sulfur battery energy storage system interconnected with a microgrid at utility scale.
Nextech Batteries, Inc.
Recipient
Carson City, NV
Recipient Location
$2,822,603
Amount Spent
Active
Project Status
Project Update
In 2025, NexTech Batteries advanced the Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) from initial concept and design verification to full system-level configuration. The completed Li-S BESS was installed and tested at UCSD in a microgrid-representative configuration to assess functionality and operational behavior.
Key achievements include:
•Assembly and commissioning of a Li-S BESS prototype incorporating multiple modules and system-level protection hardware.
•Configuration and validation of battery management system (BMS) hardware and control logic for Li-S specific operating limits.
•Integration of voltage, temperature, and pressure sensing at the cell block and module levels to support safe system operation.
•Upgrade of BMS and system control components – expanded BMS functionality to include adjustable safety setpoint parameters and the ability to directly interact with the external inverter equipment.
•Initiation of system-level performance evaluation, generating operational data for microgrid-representative cycles in collaboration with UC San Diego (UCSD).
In 2024, NexTech Batteries made significant advancements in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery technology for integration into Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Evo Electric was selected as the module design partner. igrenEnergi led the development of the Battery Management System (BMS) in collaboration with Nextech batteries.
Nextech key achievements in 2024:
- Designed and manufactured large-format Li-S cells to support this EPIC-funded project.
- Demonstrated improved specific energy density and improved cycle life of Li-S battery system
- Designed, fabricated, and demonstrated a functional prototype Li-S battery module
- In collaboration with igrenEnergi engineering, Nextech developed a Battery Management System (BMS) to allow the integration of its BESS with UCSD’s microgrid
- Designed and fabricated BESS in collaboration with UCSD
The Issue
Though current promising lithium-ion battery technologies have been a breakthrough for safe affordable energy storage, there are still crucial limitations in safety, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability for lithium-sulfur-based batteries. Long-lasting and large-scale lithium-sulfur battery versions for commercial applications have also proven to be elusive. The use of liquid electrolytes is high in conductivity but can cause premature battery degradation. There is also a dependence on the restrictive supply of critical expensive material, specifically cathode, to produce effective batteries that are costly when manufacturing battery systems.
Project Innovation
The purpose of this project is to design and demonstrate at utility scale a grid-integrated battery energy storage system that utilizes a unique lithium-sulfur chemistry cell. This battery packages a non-cobalt design with improved energy progressive components, and a battery management system to create a safe storage system with double the energy density and optimal cycle life. The project will advance the design and scale the build of lithium-sulfur-based cells; and develop a module prototype; and demonstrate grid interconnection of the Lithium-Sulfur Battery Energy Storage System with the University of California, San Diego's microgrid.
Project Goals
Project Benefits
This lithium-sulfur technology will overcome many common lithium-ion battery performance limitations such as safety, cost, and sustainability. This innovation eliminates the polysulfide "shuttle" effect, which is a key cause of battery degradation, by utilizing a solid-state electrolyte with high conductive lithium-sulfur membranes. Application of the lithium-sulfur cell technology has the potential to double the specific energy density, while providing safety and cost advantages in a battery system. The battery is purposefully designed with earth-abundant materials and for recycling ease.
Affordability
The prevailing costs per ton for Li-S raw materials are two orders of magnitude lower than cobalt, nickel, and other scarce transition metal elements. The cathodes of Li-S are entirely free of these expensive elements, allowing dramatic cost reductions of materials for manufacturing ($/kg) while retaining high energy densities required to ensure low energy storage balance-of-plant costs ($/kWh). The project aims to hit a price point of $80/kg.
Safety
The Li-S technology does not contain oxygen-producing materials which limit the concerns related to thermal runaway, fire and explosions. Sulfur is a more sustainable solution than the metal cathode materials Cobalt, Manganese, or Nickel for Li-Ion. Li-S cells and batteries provide for safer waste management and recycling stream.
Environmental Sustainability
Li-S cells provide an improvement over conventional Lithium-ion batteries with the reduction of the energy or carbon footprint for production. In addition, the cathode requires less metal, making the battery less toxic and more friendly for recycling. The carbon footprint of the Li-S battery is projected to be 1/3 to 1/2 less than that of a Li-ion battery.
Consumer Appeal
NexTech BESS is a flexible solution for industrial utility, commercial, and residential use of Lithium Sulfur (Li-S) - NexTech Battery cells with broader ranging applications demanding higher energy density, and lighter weight systems to power electric cars, scooters, and electric aircraft. The program and pilot demonstration will scale commercial deployment of the Li-S battery alternative for a more sustainable energy solution.
Subrecipients
The Regents of the University of California, on behalf of the San Diego campus
Auto Motive Power, Inc
Match Partners
Nextech Batteries, Inc.
