Virtual Power Systems and Natron Energy Announce Strategic Partnership to Drive Adoption of Software Defined Power

Integration of Natron Energy's Innovative Battery Technology into VPS' Industry-Leading AI and Machine Learning Platform Broadens SDP Ecosystem

News provided by

Virtual Power Systems

Sep 23, 2019, 08:30 ET

MILPITAS, Calif., Sept. 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Virtual Power Systems (VPS), creator of Software Defined Power® (SDP), today announced a strategic technology alliance with Natron Energy, a developer and provider of disruptive battery products using Prussian Blue electrode chemistry. The agreement includes the integration of Natron Energy's patented battery technology into VPS' Intelligent Control of Energy (ICE) software platform to broaden SDP applications while further extending the hardware ecosystem of SDP-enabled solutions.

"As the creator of SDP, VPS collaborates with the most innovative datacenter technology companies to reduce power-capacity pressures and optimize energy utilization," said Steve Houck, CEO of Virtual Power Systems. "By leveraging Natron Energy's Prussian Blue battery technology, VPS brings the benefits of Software Defined Power to datacenter owners, operators and designers."

Embedding Natron Energy's groundbreaking sodium-ion battery technology into VPS' ICE platform enables VPS to further address growing demands for more flexible power distribution. In particular, this latest technology integration will provide "micro-peak shaving," where datacenters require rapid injections of power for short periods of time while also requiring power to be recharged in an extremely quick timespan. Together, Natron Energy's battery technology and VPS ICE can address dynamic power capacity changes caused by fluctuating workload spikes.

As a result, datacenters can achieve superior power density, faster recharges and longer battery lifecycles when compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. In addition, Natron Energy's sodium-ion batteries are nonflammable, safe and do not require a waiting period between charges.

"Our strategic partnership with VPS enables Natron Energy to bring the proven benefits associated with electric vehicles' fast-charging solutions to the datacenter," said Jack Pouchet, VP of Sales, Natron Energy. "Our sodium-ion batteries are ideally suited for demanding datacenter applications as they can endure tens of thousands of deep discharge cycles yet can be fully charged in eight minutes."

Datacenter owners and operators can inquire with VPS and Natron for onsite demonstrations. In the meantime, the partners have developed an SDP demonstration unit incorporating ICE and a Natron sodium-ion battery. The configuration is ready for hands-on testing and evaluation upon request at VPS' headquarters.

Supporting resources

About Natron Energy
Natron Energy is developing battery products based on a unique Prussian blue chemistry for a wide variety of energy storage applications ranging from critical backup power systems, material handling, behind-the-meter applications, and renewables support. Natron's batteries are UL 1973 recognized, offer higher power density, faster recharge, and significantly longer cycle life than incumbent technologies. Natron builds its batteries using commodity materials on existing cell manufacturing lines. Natron was founded as a spin-off from research originally performed at Stanford University. Natron's mission is to transform industrial and grid energy storage markets by providing customers with lower cost, longer lasting, more efficient, safer batteries. Natron is backed by leading venture capital investors including Prelude Ventures, Khosla Ventures, and Chevron.

About Virtual Power Systems
Virtual Power Systems (VPS) is transforming how next-generation data center and cloud providers provision, manage and utilize power capacity with its ground-breaking Software Defined Power® and Intelligent Control of Energy® (ICE) technology platform. VPS eliminates the need to over-provision power as ICE dynamically adjusts power delivery as demand fluctuates across data-center workloads, servers and racks. ICE enables data center and cloud providers to generate significant additional revenue within existing power and IT footprints while avoiding millions of dollars in capital expenditures and operating expenses. Additionally, VPS empowers enterprise customers to reduce power infrastructure wait times and costs.

For more information on VPS, contact:
Sue Hetzel/HetzelMeade Communications Inc.
[email protected]
760.473.4729

For more information on Natron, contact:
PJ / Jennings & Associates Communications, Inc.
[email protected] 
760.431.7466

SOURCE Virtual Power Systems