Prometheus Hyperscale Chooses XL's Organic Flow Battery for 250-MWh Backup Power at Data Centers
A data center developer planning a gigawatt-scale project in Wyoming has signed an agreement with a flow battery storage startup to deliver 250 MWh of on-site energy capacity by the end of the decade.
XL Batteries and Prometheus Hyperscale have announced a multi-year agreement to deploy the on-site and long-duration storage at data centers. Prometheus is planning to build 1.2 GW in data center capacity within Wyoming by 2029.
In the first phase of the multi-year partnership, XL Batteries will deploy and commission a 333-kW demonstration-scale version of its Organic Flow Battery (OFB) by 2027. After that, Prometheus will reportedly acquire a 12.5-MW/125-MWh commercial-scale system one year later and then another 12.5-MW/125-MWh battery system by 2029.
The utility-scale stationary and electric vehicle battery industries have been dominated thus far by lithium-ion chemistry. Lithium-ion, however, is deficient at providing long-duration power. The XL OFB reportedly is made up of organic, non-toxic materials and was developed as the result of a research and testing breakthrough at Columbia University six years ago.
"We need batteries that offer performance at or above lithium, without the risk of overheating to deploy at our data halls,” said Trenton Thornock, founder and CEO, Prometheus Hyperscale, in a statement. “XL Batteries’ organic flow battery technology offers a scalable, long-duration, non-toxic energy storage solution that will help us to deliver the next generation of AI data centers. This partnership underscores our commitment to pioneering innovative solutions that set a new standard for sustainable infrastructure."
Last month, XL Batteries announced its first commercial-scale deployment of the OFB in a deal with Stolthaven Terminals. The battery system will be utilized at the Stolthaven storage terminal for bulk liquids and gases in Houston.
The company says its organic flow chemistry uses molecules that are soluble and stable in pH neutral salt water and do not pass through the membrane. They also are touted to be 100% electrochemical efficient without the volatility or dangers of thermal runaway that is present in lithium-ion batteries.
“Our Organic Flow Battery will enable Prometheus to improve energy resilience, manage power quality and reduce carbon emissions,” said Tom Sisto, CEO and co-founder of XL Batteries. “Deploying our technology at one of the largest hyperscale campuses in the world validates our vision and accelerates our path to large-scale commercial impact.”
The arrival of accelerated artificial intelligence (AI) models and cloud-based computing capacity are challenging the traditional utility-scale transmission and distribution systems. Some 50 GW of new data center capacity may come online by the early 2030s, and many tech firms and hyperscale developers are working to contract on-site power such as microgrids, gas-fired turbines and even future small modular reactor nuclear.
Nearly all data centers include on-site backup power, traditionally provided by diesel or natural gas gen-sets. Battery storage can smooth out the intermittency of renewable resources and function as emergency power for limited periods during utility grid outages.
Earlier this month, Prometheus Hyperscale announced that it was partnering with natural gas producer PureWest Energy LLC and carbon-capture technology firm Frontier Carbon Solutions to take a multi-sector approach to fueling, and to bring data centers to Wyoming. Together, the three companies are planning to develop carbon-neutral, flexible energy systems for data centers.
PureWest, which is the largest producer in Wyoming, will be Prometheus Hyperscale’s preferred natural gas supplier under the agreement. Frontier will generate carbon credits by capturing biogenic carbon dioxide from various facilities across the Mountain West and transporting liquid CO2 to Frontier's carbon sequestration facility in southwestern Wyoming.
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