Samsung SDI, Alpha Omega Power sign 1-GWh ESS supply deal

Samsung SDI said Monday that its U.S. subsidiary, Samsung SDI America, has signed a 1-gigawatt-hour agreement to supply energy storage systems (ESS) to Alpha Omega Power, a U.S. utility-scale battery storage developer and independent power producer.

The latest deal brings the total volume of agreements between the two companies to 1.5 gigawatt-hours, including an initial contract signed late last year.

Alpha Omega Power plans to deploy the systems in large-scale power projects aimed at strengthening grid reliability and meeting rising electricity demand. Construction is scheduled to begin next year in the Western Electricity Coordinating Council and Electric Reliability Council of Texas markets.

Under the latest agreement, Samsung SDI will supply its Samsung Battery Box 1.7, an integrated ESS equipped with nickel-cobalt-aluminum batteries. All cells and modules will be manufactured at the StarPlus Energy plant in Kokomo, Indiana, with deliveries scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.

Samsung Battery Box 1.7 offers 17 percent higher energy density than its predecessor, Samsung Battery Box 1.5, while retaining the same 20-foot footprint. It uses artificial intelligence-powered algorithms for early anomaly detection and battery life prediction and is designed for 25 years of continuous operation.

The system meets safety standards including National Fire Protection Association 855 and Underwriters Laboratories 9540. It also features Samsung SDI’s proprietary Enhanced Direct Injection technology, which delivers fire-extinguishing agents directly into individual battery modules.

Samsung SDI’s PrismStack prismatic battery technology, which analysts say offers performance and safety advantages, has helped the company secure contracts in North America. It is currently the only non-Chinese supplier of prismatic batteries for energy storage systems in the region. Compared with pouch-type batteries, its prismatic batteries offer durability and fire safety advantages that appeal to U.S. energy companies.

“American-made ESS from Samsung SDI will play an important role in Alpha Omega Power’s continued growth,” said Paul Choi, CEO of Alpha Omega Power. “This second agreement strengthens our domestic supply chain supporting the next generation of energy infrastructure.”

Fabrice Hudry, president of the ESS team at Samsung SDI America, said the company would continue to expand its North American business by leveraging its technology and local production capabilities.