On March 3, 2026, ESS Tech, Inc., a manufacturer of long-duration energy storage systems, announced it has joined Salt River Project (SRP) and Google in a collaboration called Project New Horizon at SRP’s Copper Crossing Energy and Research Center in Florence, Arizona. The initiative will deploy an iron-flow Energy Base system rated at five megawatts and 50 megawatt-hours, marking a key commercial validation for ESS’s utility-scale platform.
Awarded through SRP’s competitive solicitation for emerging non-lithium storage technologies, Project New Horizon is intended to demonstrate how iron-flow storage can support grid reliability and renewable integration. If the pilot succeeds, it could pave the way for additional deployments with utilities and large energy users seeking scalable, long-duration energy storage solutions.
ESS’s Energy Base design allows for flexible configuration across diverse use cases and promises cost advantages at larger scales compared with previous containerized offerings. System design is currently underway, with manufacturing scheduled to begin in 2026 and delivery targeted for December 2027.
Under the agreement, SRP will oversee operational testing alongside ESS, while the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) will provide independent oversight throughout a multi-year research program. Google has agreed to share project costs with SRP, supporting the evaluation of real-world performance and generating data on grid reliability, renewable integration, and broader storage deployment pathways. Both SRP and Google aim to advance clean energy goals and ensure reliable, affordable electricity around the clock.
Drew Buckley, Chief Executive Officer of ESS, noted that Project New Horizon “represents an important commercial validation of Energy Base” and underscores the growing interest in non-lithium storage for long-term resource planning. Chico Hunter, SRP’s Manager of Innovation and Development, said the project will help assess how long-duration storage technologies can support reliable and sustainable power. Lucia Tian, Head of Advanced Energy Technologies at Google, added that the collaboration will accelerate learning from real-world deployments, contributing to grid resilience and 24/7 clean energy availability.
Source: Business Wire
