Inlyte completes factory acceptance test of iron-sodium BESS

Inlyte Energy, a US-based manufacturer of iron-sodium battery energy storage systems, announced it has successfully completed a factory acceptance test of its first field-ready battery at its facility near Derby, UK, witnessed by representatives from Southern Company, one of the largest energy providers in the United States. 

The test demonstrated the performance and integration readiness of Inlyte’s battery storage system — combining advanced sodium metal chloride cells, inverter and control electronics, the company said.

“To win the future we need abundant and secure supplies of energy in the US, and at the same time we need to make costs go down, not up,” said Antonio Baclig, CEO of Inlyte Energy. “We can’t do that by building the same thing as China. We need to make better technologies, with batteries that are fundamentally lower cost, safer, and longer lasting. By leveraging a breakthrough in the use of iron in the proven sodium metal chloride battery, Inlyte can scale rapidly.”

During the factory test, Inlyte’s battery achieved 83% round-trip efficiency, including auxiliaries, which is competitive with high-performance lithium-ion and well above the 40 to 70% range typical for other LDES technologies, the company said. 

Southern Company’s research and development team witnessed the test firsthand, observing the system’s performance and integration—a key milestone in project acceptance. Following the successful test, Inlyte’s first energy storage systems will be installed at Southern Company’s Energy Storage Test Site in Wilsonville, Alabama in early 2026.

“As the grid evolves toward longer-duration storage, developing solutions that are both low-cost and safe is critical to ensuring affordable, dependable service for customers,” said Steve Baxley, Southern Company energy storage and use research and development manager. “Inlyte’s successful system test represents a meaningful step in validating the iron-sodium battery technology for future applications. We look forward to continuing our research collaboration with Inlyte as this technology moves close to real-world deployment.” 

Inlyte is now advancing toward US manufacturing and commercialization. The company is finalizing site selection for its first domestic production facility in 2026. To accelerate this move, Inlyte recently announced a strategic partnership with HORIEN Salt Battery Solutions.