Energy storage firm Energy Vault has signed a strategic partnership with NuCube Energy, a nuclear microreactor developer, to support the delivery of NuCube's NuSun microreactor for use in the data center industry.
The partnership aims to integrate the NuSun microreactors with Energy Vault's VaultOS Energy Management System and B-VAULT Battery Storage System.
The companies claim that the partnership will enable the rapid deployment of low-carbon, cost-effective baseload generation with the operational flexibility required by data centers and large energy users.
The partners expect to deploy the integrated platform by the end of 2028 or the beginning of 2029 and will focus on the US market.
As part of the agreement, Energy Vault will design, engineer, and deploy customized software capability within its VaultOS software to support joint control of NuSun and Energy Vault's BESS product.
According to Energy Vault, the integration will enable battery storage of excess energy generated during periods of lower demand and dispatch of stored energy during peak demand, helping to ensure AI data centers can operate 24/7.
"By integrating microreactors with Energy Vault's unique approach to energy storage, we can ensure that AI data centers have access to carbon-free electricity and operate seamlessly," said Marco Terruzzin, chief commercial and product officer at Energy Vault.
Energy Vault will also use its material science technology, derived from gravity storage research, to develop shielding and containment systems for Nusun.
NuCube was founded in 2023 and is headed by Cristian Rabiti.
The NuSun nuclear microreactor is a nuclear fission reactor that utilizes Triso fuel and heat pipe technology. NuCube says this technology ensures high reliability with minimal moving components. The reactor is housed in a portable stainless-steel enclosure, and emergency planning is confined to the building. NuCube has not disclosed the reactor's capacity.
Micro and small modular reactor (SMR) firms have increasingly targeted the data center market as early adopters of the technology.
Several notable deals have occurred in the past 12 months, with major hyperscalers committing to varying technologies.
In October, AWS signed three agreements with Energy Northwest, X-Energy, and Dominion Virginia to support the deployment of more than 600MW of power across Washington and Virginia.
Before this, Google signed a corporate agreement to purchase nuclear energy from multiple SMRs from Karios Power, with an expected deployment date in 2030.
The year culminated in data center developer Switch signing a non-binding agreement to purchase up to 12GW of power from SMR firm Oklo through 2044.
Finally, last week, SMR developer Deep Fission partnered with Endeavour Energy, a US sustainable infrastructure developer, to co-develop 2GW of nuclear energy to supply Endeavour's global portfolio of data centers.