photo: Energy Vault Utility-scale energy storage developer Energy Vault just signed a strategic agreement with Peak Energy, which manufactures sodium-ion energy battery storage systems, to build a battery platform specifically designed for “AI-first” data center operators. The pitch is simple: AI training and inference create sharp, unpredictable power spikes. Most battery energy storage systems (BESS) were built for steadier grid loads. Energy Vault and Peak Energy say they’re designing a dedicated storage architecture that can handle that volatility from the start. Sodium-ion instead of lithium-ion The new system will combine Broomfield, Colorado-based Peak Energy’s sodium-ion battery technology with Energy Vault’s system design and its Vault OS software controls. According to the companies, sodium-ion batteries offer higher safety and reliability than conventional lithium-ion BESS. The integrated design is intended to speed up deployment, lower upfront costs, and improve operational safety for data center operators dealing with high-volatility compute loads. Advertisement – scroll for more content Westlake Village, California-based Energy Vault says the solution will be exclusive and will serve as a differentiator for its modular “powered …