On January 5, SK On, SK Innovation and Standard Energy formalized a partnership aimed at advancing the safety and performance of energy storage systems (ESS) through the development of vanadium ion batteries (VIB). The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed at Standard Energy’s headquarters in Daejeon, where representatives from each organization outlined plans to apply their combined expertise to next-generation ESS solutions.
Unlike conventional lithium-ion chemistries, VIB technology relies on an electrolyte solution composed primarily of water, offering inherent fire safety advantages. The partners are targeting short-duration ESS applications—systems that store and discharge energy for periods of up to four hours—which demand rapid, repetitive high-output cycles. These solutions are especially relevant for data centers, manufacturing facilities and other industrial sites where operational safety and power density are critical.
Under the agreement, SK On will broaden its battery portfolio beyond nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) and lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cells by integrating VIB technology into its product lineup. SK Innovation will leverage its environmental science and technology research capabilities, while Standard Energy will contribute its proven expertise in VIB design, demonstration and commercialization. The collaboration will focus on improving energy density, cycle life and cost competitiveness to meet the rigorous requirements of enterprise-scale ESS deployments.
Standard Energy was the first company globally to develop and commercialize VIB‐based ESS, and it currently supplies systems to multiple corporate customers. By combining Standard Energy’s pioneering work with SK On’s manufacturing scale and SK Innovation’s research infrastructure, the three companies aim to accelerate the adoption of safer, high-performance storage systems.
Lee Seok-hee, President of SK On, said, “Through this cooperation, we will be able to jointly develop vanadium ion batteries for ESS with excellent fire safety, further strengthening our product portfolio. We will provide new value to customers based on our global-level technological competitiveness.”
Source: BusinessKorea
