LiNova Energy has launched PolyPower, a metal-free polymer cathode battery cell with zero fire risk designed for data centre backup power applications, with the company stating that the technology removes thermal runaway risk at cell level.
The company said the product has been developed to address growing demand for high-power, low-risk energy storage as global data centre power requirements are projected to increase significantly by 2030.
Battery cell designed to reduce fire risk
- High power density for high-rack-density data centre environments.
- Intrinsic safety through a polymer cathode that evolves CO₂ rather than oxygen, according to LiNova.
- Metal-free chemistry that avoids nickel, cobalt and other critical minerals.
- Lower cathode costs, with the company claiming reductions of up to 90% compared with conventional materials.
PolyPower is based on LiNova’s proprietary polymer cathode, a metal-free active material made from mass-produced precursors. The company said the cathode can be sourced domestically in multiple regions and manufactured using existing lithium-ion production lines.
Mike Nagus, CEO of LiNova Energy, said: “The battery cathode is the most expensive and dangerous component in the stack, and has historically been the least reinvented. With its superior performance and zero fire risk, PolyPower represents a fundamental breakthrough in battery technology for mission-critical applications.”
LiNova said PolyPower was developed with a hyperscale data centre operator to meet requirements for next-generation battery backup units. Independent third-party testing at the University of California San Diego showed high-rate performance, with capacity retention exceeding hyperscaler benchmarks, according to the company.
Mike Ferry, Director of Energy Storage and Systems at the University of California San Diego, said: “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.”
The high-power cell is currently available for testing in a pouch-format design. LiNova said a cylindrical format is expected in Q3 2026, with integration into hyperscaler-spec battery backup units planned for performance testing in Q4 2026.