US sodium-ion battery technology company Unigrid has initiated international shipments of its proprietary sodium cobalt oxide cathode cells at commercial volume, marking the first large-scale Na-ion exports by a non-China manufacturer. The company expects to fulfill existing off-take agreements later this year.
Unigrid employs a fab-less, foundry-subscription model, partnering with established cell producers instead of investing in dedicated gigafactories. This approach enables rapid expansion, with grade A cells delivered directly from foundries in 40-foot ocean containers. The company’s commercialization gained momentum after achieving UN38.3 transport certification for its Na-ion cells, a standard traditionally applied to lithium-ion batteries to ensure safe handling and shipping.
By the end of 2025, Unigrid had transitioned from pilot-scale exports to full-scale commercial shipments. Several international ports, historically geared toward lithium-ion batteries, adapted new procedures and declaration processes to accommodate Na-ion chemistry. This milestone is notable given the complexities of transporting electrochemical energy storage products, and coincides with efforts by the U.S. National Fire Protection Association to develop NFPA 800, a comprehensive safety code covering battery transportation, storage, equipment, and recycling. NFPA 800 is open for public comment until January 29, and Matthew Paiss of Sandia National Laboratories, serving on the committee, explained that the provisional standard uses an ANSI streamlined process to accelerate its release.
In April 2025, Unigrid partnered with India-based engineering, procurement and construction firm Indexel to deploy Na-ion batteries for local energy projects. Later that year, Singapore’s Blue Whale Energy announced a collaboration to integrate Unigrid cells with solar photovoltaic installations at commercial and industrial sites across Southeast Asia.
The Energy Storage Summit USA, scheduled for March 24–25, 2026, in Dallas, Texas, will feature discussions on flow electrode challenges, power demand forecasting, and battery energy storage supply chain management. For more information, visit the Energy Storage Summit USA website.
Source: Energy Storage News
