LiNova Energy Launches Metal-Free Cathode Battery Cell With Zero Fire Risk for Data Center Backup
PR Newswire
MONROVIA, Calif., June 23, 2026
PolyPower platform unlocks high-power performance, intrinsic fire safety, and lower-cost energy storage for mission-critical applications
MONROVIA, Calif., June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - LiNova Energy, a developer of metal-free polymer cathodes with zero fire risk, today announced the launch of PolyPower, a next-generation battery cell engineered specifically for data center backup power applications.
With global data center power demand projected to nearly double by 2030, PolyPower is designed to meet mission-critical needs for backup power and performance with a differentiated combination of power density, safety, and cost.
Key features of PolyPower include:
- High Power Density – Optimized for high-rack-density environments, enabling reliable performance as compute demands increase and space constraints tighten.
- Intrinsic Safety – Eliminates thermal runaway risk at the cell level through a polymer cathode that evolves CO₂ rather than oxygen, addressing one of the most critical concerns for data center operators.
- Supply Chain Resilience – Free of nickel, cobalt, and other critical minerals, enabling fully domestic sourcing and manufacturing on existing production lines.
- Significant Cost Reduction – Lowers cathode costs by up to 90% compared to conventional materials, with a cost profile competitive with or below domestic LFP even at early production scale (100 MWh/year).
PolyPower is powered by LiNova's polymer cathode, a proprietary, metal-free active material synthesized from mass-produced precursors that can be sourced domestically nearly anywhere. LiNova's cathodes eliminate major business and safety risks associated with conventional metal cathodes, which are subject to geopolitical risk and tariff volatility, and drive thermal runaway by releasing oxygen when they degrade under heat.
"The battery cathode is the most expensive and dangerous component in the stack, and has historically been the least reinvented," said Mike Nagus, CEO of LiNova Energy. "With its superior performance and zero fire risk, PolyPower represents a fundamental breakthrough in battery technology for mission-critical applications. Our polymer cathode platform provides what data center operators need most: high power, uncompromising safety, and a clear path to lower-cost energy storage that can scale with AI and cloud demand."
PolyPower was developed in collaboration with a hyperscale data center operator to meet performance requirements for next generation backup battery units (BBUs), designed to exceed the capabilities of current systems.
Independent third-party testing at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) demonstrated strong high-rate performance, with capacity retention exceeding hyperscaler benchmarks. The company has further conducted extensive in-house testing, including cycle life, rate capability, and safety testing. In-house nail puncture tests resulted in no hazard or venting, and an in-house UL9540A simulation resulted in no thermal runaway for the PolyPower cell.
"LiNova's cells are truly unique in the market, and we've tested dozens of different battery chemistries over the past decade," said Mike Ferry, Director of Energy Storage and Systems at the University of California San Diego. "Our testing results successfully demonstrate LiNova's ability to instantly deliver high power and stable performance under stressful conditions without the degradation mechanisms seen in other battery cells."
"Saft's material and cell-level testing confirms that LiNova's technology is intrinsically safer than other lithium-ion chemistries and has shown no thermal runaway and reduced energy release under abuse conditions," said Thomas Greszler, Cell Development Manager at Saft North America.
PolyPower builds on LiNova's original energy-optimized cell (Poly-G), now branded PolyEnergy, which is designed for high-energy applications. Together, these complementary solutions enable LiNova to address both power- and energy-intensive use cases across multiple sectors.
The company is currently engaging with hyperscale data center operators exploring safer, high-performance energy storage solutions. LiNova's high-power cell is currently available for testing in a pouch-format design, with a cylindrical format expected in Q3 2026. The cells will be integrated into hyperscaler-spec battery backup units (BBUs) for performance testing in Q4 2026.
For more information or to inquire about partnerships, contact LiNova at: https://www.linovaenergy.com/contact.
About LiNova Energy
LiNova Energy develops domestically manufacturable, metal-free polymer cathode technology designed to enable ultra-high-energy and high-power batteries across a range of chemistries with no risk of thermal runaway. LiNova's platform supports electric vehicles, aerospace, energy storage, and data center applications. By eliminating the need for nickel, cobalt, and metal oxides, LiNova's cathode technology offers a more sustainable, cost-effective battery solution. In 2024, the company raised $15.8 million in Series A financing.
For more information about LiNova and its initiatives, please visit www.linovaenergy.com.
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SOURCE LiNova Energy Inc.