In a landmark project, Highstar Sodium has successfully deployed a pioneering solar-plus-storage microgrid at a breathtaking altitude of nearly 5,000 meters. This initiative provides a stable, reliable power source to a remote agricultural community, addressing their growing electricity needs. The system, delivered in late June, is now facing its first true test: the “high-altitude winter,” where temperatures plummet to -20°C.
Extreme cold can be fatal to conventional energy storage systems, while the low atmospheric pressure at high altitudes can cause batteries to swell, posing a significant safety risk. This project showcases how Highstar Sodium’s proprietary technology not only survives but thrives in these punishing conditions.
Highstar’s Three Pillars of Extreme Environment Technology
To overcome these challenges, our R&D team has engineered our Sodium-ion BESS with three core technological breakthroughs:
- Proprietary Low-Temperature Electrolyte: We have developed a unique electrolyte formula that remains fluid and highly conductive even at an ultra-low temperature of -60°C. This is the “self-heating inner layer” of our battery. Thanks to this innovation, our BESS can release nearly 90% of its capacity at a frigid -40°C, ensuring dependable power output throughout the harshest winters.
- Advanced Negative-Pressure Cell Sealing: To combat the “high-altitude sickness” of battery swelling, we employ a sophisticated negative-pressure laser welding technique during cell manufacturing. This process pre-establishes a lower-pressure environment inside the cell, effectively balancing the internal-external pressure differential. This guarantees structural integrity and eliminates safety hazards associated with high-altitude operation.
- Self-Healing Conductive Network Technology: Our battery chemistry includes a technology that actively maintains and repairs the conductive pathways for ions and electrons during each cycle. This “self-healing” capability dramatically enhances the battery’s cycle stability and counteracts internal degradation over time. The result is a massively extended lifespan, allowing the system to operate reliably for over 15 years.
Highstar’s Solution for Extreme Environments: A Technical Breakdown
This table summarizes how our targeted innovations solve the critical challenges of high-altitude and low-temperature operation.
| The Challenge | Highstar’s Technological Solution | The Result & Customer Benefit |
| Extreme Cold (-40°C) Causes capacity loss & system failure. | Proprietary Low-Temperature Electrolyte | Reliable Winter Power: Retains nearly 90% capacity, ensuring year-round operational continuity. |
| High Altitude (Low Atmospheric Pressure) Causes cell swelling & safety risks. | Advanced Negative-Pressure Cell Sealing | Enhanced Safety & Integrity: Prevents physical deformation, ensuring safe, long-term operation in any terrain. |
| Long-Term Degradation & Cycling Stress Reduces lifespan & performance. | Self-Healing Conductive Network Technology | 15+ Year Lifespan: Drastically reduces total cost of ownership (TCO) and ensures consistent, stable performance. |
This high-altitude microgrid is more than a technical achievement; it is a testament to Highstar Sodium’s commitment to delivering energy anywhere, no matter how harsh the environment. From remote mountain communities to off-grid industrial sites, our Sodium-ion for BESS technology is the proven, reliable choice for a resilient energy future.