US iron-sodium battery storage firm Inlyte Energy has partnered with Swiss data center operator NTS Colocation AG to deploy the solution across the latter’s data centers.

The first project advanced by the partnership will be a pilot project at NTS’s Bern data center. The companies have agreed to a roadmap that will see them deploy up to 2MW of battery capacity by 2028, beginning with a 600kWh installation targeted for commissioning at the end of 2026.

“To meet the growing resilience and sustainability expectations of our customers, we are building a diversified energy architecture that goes beyond traditional uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and diesel generators,” said Niklaus Hug, CEO of NTS. “Inlyte’s iron-sodium battery storage represents a promising missing layer, offering inherent safety, long-duration discharge capability, and long asset life aligned with data center infrastructure. This pilot will allow us to evaluate its performance in real-world conditions.”

The pilot project at NTS’s Bern data center will serve as a technical and operational validation of the technology in a live data center environment. The initial phase aims to assess system performance and integration with existing electrical and control infrastructure. If successful, the companies claim that the project will support broader deployment across NTS’s wider portfolio, including another under-development data center in the Bern area, expected to come online in 2028.

According to Inlyte, its iron-sodium solution is economically viable for four to 48 hours, safe and durable in extreme temperatures, and doesn’t have the same risk of thermal runaway as lithium-ion alternatives.

The company has designed the solution to meet the demands of utility-scale and commercial and industrial segments, offering a three-in-one solution including efficient daily load leveling, low-cost, 24+ hour flexible back-up, and high-performance UPS capability.

“Data centers are becoming some of the most critical infrastructure in the global economy, and they require energy storage solutions that are high-performing, inherently safe, and built to last for decades,” said Antonio Baclig, CEO of Inlyte Energy. “Our iron-sodium technology delivers low-cost, multi-hour to multi-day storage without the fire and permitting challenges associated with lithium-ion or the noise, emissions, and community concerns tied to diesel backup systems. We’re excited to partner with NTS to demonstrate how long-duration, safe batteries can strengthen flexibility and resilience for mission-critical facilities.”

Several different battery technologies have begun to see uptake across the data center sector. For example, in July of last year, Google signed its first long-duration energy storage deal, inking a long-term partnership with CO2 battery storage firm Energy Dome.