Highstar deploys full-chain battery solutions targeting data center peak/fill power gaps and grid-stability buffers.
Nantong, China-based Highstar has introduced a comprehensive battery cell portfolio designed to address power reliability challenges across every layer of an AI data center, from rack-level backup to grid-side storage. The full-chain solution, unveiled at the 2026 GGII Energy Storage Industry Summit, targets the volatile power demands of artificial intelligence workloads with a mix of lithium-ion and sodium-ion chemistries.
The portfolio spans three coordinated layers: grey-space infrastructure, including uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems; white-space battery backup units (BBUs) located directly within server racks; and large-scale grid-side energy storage. By covering the entire power chain, Highstar aims to simplify procurement and integration for equipment suppliers, system integrators, and data center operators.
AI workloads are driving up rack power densities and creating rapid, unpredictable load swings. Data centers must respond with faster discharge, dependable backup, controlled temperature rise, and stronger lifecycle performance. Highstar's solution focuses on two product lines positioned closest to the computing load.
For grey-space applications, the company offers an 85Ah high-rate lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cell designed for UPS and HVDC systems. It delivers high power rapidly and sustains reliable backup under frequent pulse conditions. High-rate discharge capability, thermal control, safety features, and durability enable more compact system designs, helping operators balance uptime availability with total lifecycle cost.
Complementing the LFP cell is a 50Ah sodium-ion battery cell engineered for operation across a wide temperature range, from minus 40 degrees Celsius to 80 degrees Celsius. This makes it particularly suitable for grey-space environments where temperature control may be less precise or where extreme ambient conditions exist.
For the white space, where BBUs sit directly inside server racks to provide instantaneous bridging power if the main supply falters, Highstar developed a range of tabless cylindrical cells in 18650 and 21700 formats, available in LFP and high-nickel NMC chemistries. The tabless design delivers high instantaneous power, low internal resistance, reduced temperature rise under load, and enhanced safety. This portfolio allows data center architects to choose cells matching specific rack-space constraints, power requirements, and cost targets.
The grid-side layer deploys 314Ah lithium-ion cells and 160Ah sodium-ion cells intended to balance long-duration energy storage, extended cycle life, and rapid power support when grid conditions fluctuate. Together, the three layers form a coordinated system stretching from individual rack-level protection through facility-level backup to upstream energy storage.
The product range is underpinned by a technology platform combining lithium-ion and sodium-ion chemistries with both prismatic and cylindrical cell formats. Highstar's internal development spans cathode, anode, electrolyte, and separator materials. Structurally, the company integrates tabless current collection, high-precision pressure relief mechanisms, and directional venting to manage thermal runaway risks.
At the summit, Highstar participated in launching the "2026 Global AIDC Power Supply Industry Development Blue Book" and received an award naming it a "Top Benchmark in AIDC Energy Storage." The recognition reflects growing industry acknowledgment of the need for purpose-built energy storage solutions in AI infrastructure.
The full-chain architecture reduces the complexity that often arises when data center operators and power equipment suppliers attempt to integrate battery solutions from multiple vendors. By offering a single portfolio validated across all three power layers, Highstar provides a common foundation for joint testing and application-specific development across different AIDC power architectures.
As AI-driven computing reshapes data center design, power density and reliability have emerged as critical bottlenecks. The shift toward liquid-cooled racks and higher GPU counts per server is pushing electrical systems to their limits. Battery solutions that handle rapid charge-discharge cycles, operate reliably in tight spaces, and integrate seamlessly with both AC and DC power architectures are becoming a competitive differentiator for energy storage manufacturers. Highstar's multi-chemistry, multi-format approach reflects an industry bet that no single battery technology will dominate the AI data center market, and that flexibility across the power chain will be key to winning contracts with hyperscalers and colocation providers.