■ Joint development agreement signed for high-safety vanadium ion battery (VIB)-based ESS
■ Expands battery chemistry portfolio to include NCM, LFP, and now VIB for greater product diversity
■ Collaboration combines core capabilities to advance fire safety and performance in the ESS sector
SEOUL, Korea, Jan. 6, 2026 – SK On and SK Innovation have announced a strategic partnership with Standard Energy, a leading Korean provider of vanadium ion battery (VIB)-based energy storage systems (ESS), to accelerate innovation and safety in the ESS market.
Under this new agreement, the three companies will jointly develop next-generation VIB-based ESS solutions with enhanced fire safety and high-output performance, broadening SK On’s ESS portfolio beyond lithium iron phosphate (LFP) to include VIB technology. Vanadium ion batteries, which use water-based electrolytes, offer significant advantages over conventional chemistries—including a reduced risk of fire or explosion—making them ideal for short-duration, high-output ESS applications such as data centers and industrial facilities.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed at Standard Energy’s headquarters in Daejeon, South Korea, on January 5. Attendees included Lee Seok-hee, CEO of SK On; Park Ki-soo, Head of SK On Institute of Future Technology; Kim Phil-seok, Head of SK Innovation Institute of Environmental Science & Technology; and Kim Bu-gi, CEO of Standard Energy.
The partnership will focus on advancing VIB performance for short-duration ESS, used for high-power, short-cycle operations in data centers and industrial facilities. Ensuring safe, repeatable high-output performance is a key requirement in this segment. The companies will combine their technical capabilities to improve performance and cost competitiveness. SK On, drawing on its experience in large-scale battery manufacturing, will work with Standard Energy to expand collaboration across the value chain, from raw material sourcing and materials development to cell technology and battery management systems. Meanwhile, SK Innovation will drive electrolyte additive innovation and explore vanadium recovery from refining processes to enhance cost competitiveness. Together, they aim to deliver differentiated VIB solutions that meet evolving market demands for safety, performance, and value.
This initiative further strengthens SK On’s battery chemistry portfolio, which now encompasses nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM), LFP, and VIB. VIB uses a water-based electrolyte that reduces fire and explosion risks while delivering high power suited for short-duration ESS. Standard Energy’s VIB ESS solutions have already demonstrated robust safety in Korea’s regulatory sandbox and have been deployed in high-traffic subway stations and buildings without incident.
Standard Energy was the world’s first to commercialize VIB for ESS applications and has since validated its technology through successful field deployments for a range of customers. The company was also recognized by TIME magazine as the only Korean firm among the “World’s Top Green Tech Companies 2025.”
Lee Seok-hee, CEO of SK On, said, “Through this partnership, we will jointly develop ESS vanadium ion batteries with outstanding fire safety, further strengthening our product portfolio. Leveraging our world-class technological competitiveness, SK On will continue to deliver new value to customers.”
Kim Bu-gi, CEO of Standard Energy, commented, “By joining forces with SK On and SK Innovation, we aim to accelerate the commercialization of vanadium ion batteries—complementing lithium-ion battery technology—to set a new safety and performance standard for ESS in environments where both are critical, such as data centers and urban infrastructure.”
Korea’s second ESS central contract market bidding this year has made fire safety a key evaluation criterion. SK On highlights its advanced early-detection safety technologies for ESS, including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), which can identify abnormal signs at least 30 minutes before a thermal event could occur—further strengthening a proactive approach to risk management and prevention.
* EIS (Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy): A non-destructive analytical method that applies alternating current signals at various frequencies to measure a battery’s internal resistance and assess its health in real time.
[Photos]
(Photo 1) SK On CEO Lee Seok-hee (center), SK Innovation’s Kim Phil-seok (left), and Standard Energy CEO Kim Bu-gi commemorate the signing of a battery technology partnership at Standard Energy’s headquarters in Daejeon, Korea.
(Photo 2)
SK On CEO Lee Seok-hee (second from left) receives an explanation of vanadium ion battery technology from Standard Energy CEO Kim Bu-gi (right) at the company’s production facility in Daejeon, Korea.
■ Related articles
- Vanadium Ion Batteries: A Potential Cornerstone of Future Energy Storage
