On February 18, 2026, ESS Tech Inc., a developer of long-duration energy storage solutions, completed the acquisition of intellectual property and assets from VoltStorage GmbH, a specialist in iron-salt battery technology. This strategic transaction expands ESS’s technology portfolio, combining VoltStorage’s patents and development work with ESS’s existing iron flow battery patents.
Under the agreement, ESS will integrate VoltStorage’s electrochemical, materials science, and technology development expertise into its operations. Several key executives and engineering personnel from VoltStorage have joined ESS, strengthening the company’s commercial and technical teams. ESS expects these combined capabilities to accelerate product innovation and broaden its market reach in flexible long-duration storage.
The merged platform is designed to deliver extended-duration energy discharge to support utilities, renewable energy developers, and industrial microgrids. By leveraging abundant iron and salt, the solution aims to offer one of the lowest levelized costs of energy in its class while maintaining strong environmental responsibility and safety. ESS also plans to leverage international development expertise at its U.S. manufacturing facility, enhancing domestic production capacity.
ESS highlights several benefits of the combined technology, including greater flexibility to address applications from grid-scale storage to industrial microgrids; cost efficiency through the use of sustainable, readily available materials; sustainability via iron-based chemistry for safe operation and minimal environmental impact; and strengthened U.S. manufacturing through integration of global development expertise.
“This acquisition accelerates our mission to provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy storage solutions worldwide,” said Drew Buckley, CEO of ESS. “By combining decades of iron flow battery expertise across two companies at ESS, we are accelerating innovation to create the most advanced iron-salt battery platform for long-duration storage.”
Source: Business Wire
