The Chemistry That Changes
Everything About Energy Storage.
Sodium-ion NFPP — non-flammable by chemistry, not by design. Coulomb Technology's Core BESS platform is built on a fundamentally safer, longer-lasting, and more cost-effective cell chemistry than anything lithium-ion can offer.
What Is a Battery Energy Storage System?
A Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is a rechargeable battery platform that stores electrical energy and releases it on demand — allowing facilities, fleets, and infrastructure operators to control when and how they consume power from the grid, a generator, or a renewable source.
Store Energy. Use It When You Need It.
A BESS charges during off-peak hours or from solar/wind generation, then discharges during peak demand — reducing utility bills, providing backup power, and smoothing out grid instability.
The Battery Is Only Part of the System.
A complete BESS includes battery cells, a Battery Management System (BMS), power conversion electronics, and software. The chemistry of the cells determines safety, lifespan, and total cost — which is why cell selection matters more than most buyers realize.
Not All BESS Are Built the Same.
Most commercial BESS products use lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) chemistry — which is flammable, requires active thermal management, and degrades over time. Coulomb Technology's Core BESS uses sodium-ion NFPP chemistry, which eliminates these liabilities at the molecular level.
Three Reasons Sodium-Ion NFPP
Outperforms Lithium-Ion.
Lithium-ion dominates the market — but it carries three fundamental liabilities that make it the wrong choice for industrial, defense, and mission-critical applications. Coulomb Technology's sodium-ion NFPP chemistry was engineered to eliminate all three, without compromise on performance.
Non-Flammable
by Chemistry.
NFPP (sodium iron pyrophosphate) is structurally incapable of thermal runaway. This is not a design feature or a safety system — it is a fundamental property of the chemistry itself.
- No thermal runaway under any abuse condition — puncture, overcharge, or short circuit
- Eliminates fire suppression systems, reducing CapEx and AHJ approval friction
- Safe for enclosed industrial environments where lithium-ion is prohibited or restricted
- Dramatically lower insurance premiums — no thermal runaway liability
6,000 Cycles.
20-Year Life.
Sodium-ion NFPP delivers verified 6,000+ deep cycles at 80% depth of discharge — outperforming standard LFP by 50% and projecting a 20-year operational life in real-world duty cycles.
- 6,000+ cycles at 80% DOD — vs. 4,000 cycles for standard LFP chemistry
- Stable capacity retention across full temperature range: −30°C to +60°C
- No capacity fade from deep discharge — no minimum state-of-charge requirement
- Zero maintenance: no watering, no equalization, no acid management
14% Lower TCO.
No Hidden Costs.
Higher initial CapEx is more than offset by eliminating HVAC, augmentation, fire suppression, and maintenance costs over a 15-year lifecycle — delivering a 14% lower total cost of ownership per kWh.
- No HVAC required — air-cooled design eliminates $28/kWh in lifecycle HVAC costs
- No augmentation — stable capacity means no mid-life battery replacement
- Sodium is 1,000× more abundant than lithium — no supply chain risk or price volatility
- Made in America pathway — meets DOD and federal procurement requirements
How NFPP Chemistry Works.
Sodium iron pyrophosphate (NFPP) is a cathode material in the sodium-ion family. Unlike lithium-ion chemistries — which store energy by intercalating lithium ions into flammable organic electrolytes — NFPP uses sodium ions and a stable inorganic structure that cannot sustain combustion.
Built for Duty Cycles That
Destroy Lithium-Ion.
Industrial and defense applications demand batteries that perform at the extremes — deep daily cycling, wide temperature ranges, and decades of continuous operation. NFPP chemistry is engineered for exactly these conditions.
6,000 Cycles at 80% DoD.
Most lithium-ion LFP batteries are rated for 3,500–4,000 cycles at 80% depth of discharge. NFPP delivers 6,000+ cycles under the same conditions — a 50% improvement that translates directly into a longer asset life and lower replacement costs.
Operates Where Lithium-Ion Fails.
Lithium-ion batteries lose 20–40% capacity at −20°C and require active thermal management above 45°C. NFPP chemistry maintains stable performance from −30°C to +60°C — with no HVAC required and no capacity penalty at temperature extremes.
NFPP Sodium-Ion vs. Lithium-Ion.
A direct comparison across the criteria that matter most in industrial, defense, and mission-critical deployments.
| Coulomb Technology NFPP | Liquid-Cooled LFP | |
|---|---|---|
| Thermal Runaway Risk | Zero — non-flammable by chemistry | Present — requires thermal management |
| Cycle Life (80% DoD) | 6,000+ cycles | 3,500–4,000 cycles |
| Projected Battery Life | 20 years | 10–12 years |
| HVAC Requirement | None — air-cooled | Required — adds $28/kWh lifecycle cost |
| Maintenance | Zero — fully maintenance-free | Periodic inspection & thermal system service |
| Augmentation Required | No — stable capacity over life | Yes — mid-life augmentation typical |
| Temperature Range | −30°C to +60°C | 0°C to +45°C (with HVAC) |
| Supply Chain Risk | Low — sodium is 1,000× more abundant | High — lithium, cobalt geopolitical exposure |
| 15-Year TCO / kWh | $126/kWh | $146/kWh |
| Fire Suppression Required | No | Yes — AHJ requirement in most jurisdictions |
14% Lower Total Cost of Ownership.
Higher initial CapEx is offset by eliminating HVAC, augmentation, fire suppression, and maintenance costs. Over 15 years, NFPP delivers a 14% lower total cost of ownership per kWh — despite costing more upfront.
Built for the Applications
That Demand the Most.
NFPP sodium-ion chemistry was designed for environments where lithium-ion's flammability, maintenance requirements, and supply chain risk are unacceptable.
Commercial & Industrial
Peak shaving, demand charge reduction, and backup power for commercial facilities — without the fire suppression overhead that makes LFP expensive to permit and insure.
Defense & Government
Forward operating bases, critical infrastructure, and government facilities where non-flammable chemistry, supply chain security, and Made in America compliance are non-negotiable.
Motive / Traction Batteries
Forklifts, AGVs, and material handling equipment in enclosed warehouses and cold storage facilities — where thermal runaway risk from lithium-ion is a liability no operator can accept.
Renewable Integration
Solar-plus-storage and wind integration projects where 20-year battery life aligns with the asset life of the renewable generation system — eliminating mid-life battery replacement costs.
Critical Infrastructure
Telecom towers, data centers, and utility substations requiring long-duration backup power with zero maintenance overhead and no thermal management infrastructure.
OEM & System Integration
Open-protocol BMS with Modbus TCP, CAN Bus, and RS-485 — integrates with any inverter, EMS, or SCADA stack. Designed for integrators and OEMs who need a battery block, not a closed ecosystem.
Talk to Our Applications Engineering Team.
Our team will walk you through the chemistry, model your 15-year TCO, and help you determine whether NFPP sodium-ion is the right fit for your application.