Welcome to the Aqueous Battery Brief. In this week’s roundup: PNNL’s new production line, Gigascale’s new $250M climate fund, and Invinity’s case for VFB now. Not yet a subscriber? Join here.
Adoption, Deals, and Tech
PNNL Launches New Prismatic Cell Production Line
Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have unveiled a new, 1,400-square-foot production line for prismatic cells. Part of PNNL’s Grid Storage Launchpad, the facility is designed to bridge the gap between lab prototype and industrial scale-up. PNNL is validating the line with sodium-ion and LFP tech, and plans to move to a wider array of technologies in the next phase. Details in PV Magazine and Innovation News Network.
Gigascale’s $250M for Climate Impact
Gigascale Capital — the investment firm founded by ex-Meta CTO Mike Schroepfer, with investments including iron-air leader Form Energy — has launched a fresh $250 million fund.
Focused on startups “rebuilding the physical economy for climate impact,” the fund aims to address the ways “rapid electrification, industrial reshoring, AI deployment, and extreme weather are exposing the limits of physical systems built for a different era.” Read the news in Axios, Bloomberg, and TechCrunch.
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Aqueous Deep Dives
Why VFB Now
In the face of massive upheaval to power infrastructure, LDES customers are looking for technology with “the ability to cycle frequently, dispatch flexibly, be easy to permit and install, and to reliably deliver their intended use for years or even decades.”
Matt Harper, President and Co-Founder at VFB developer Invinity Energy Systems, explains why vanadium flow technologies fit the bill. It’s in his latest Annual Report, available on LinkedIn.
In Brutal Summer Weather, Batteries are Saving the Grid
That’s the assessment of the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC), the body overseeing the U.S. and Canadian electric systems. “Record resource additions have strengthened readiness for the summer season,” the NERC paper explained, including “a substantial influx of solar and battery” technologies.
Read the recap of NERC’s 2026 Summer Reliability Assessment in Canary Media.
Form and ESS on Grid Scale’s Top 10
The two iron-flow firms have been named to the 10 Top Grid-Scale Battery Storage Companies list compiled by tech jobs clearinghouse Built In. Get Details.
A Stellar 2026 So Far
In the first half of 2026:
- Octet’s additive library hit 450 molecules.
- Over 65% of Octet’s clients are new.
- Clients now turn to us for day one guidance on developing the most effective electrolyte from the start.
Read about Octet’s achievements and the industry’s growth in a banner 1H.
Mark Your Calendars
Webinar: Form Energy
Clean Energy Group‘s next Beyond Lithium webinar will spotlight iron-air giant Form Energy. Hear from Sarah Jackson, Form’s Director of Government Affairs. Time: August 6th 2026 @ 1PM ET. Details & Registration
📆 Get ahead of your planning with the Aqueous Energy Events Calendar in our December 29th Aqueous Battery Brief.
Who’s Hiring
Seeking a new role — or know someone who is? Start with the quick links to aqueous firms’ open roles pages below.
Have a specific open position you’d like to highlight? Send us an e-mail.
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