Liberty Energy Inc. is using Natron Energy's sodium-ion batteries as an energy storage solution to provide uninterruptible backup power for Liberty's line of electric frac pumps, digiFrac, a press release announced on Sept. 6.

Through an investment from Liberty, Natron will accelerate production of its sodium-ion battery technology and introduce it to the industrial power and energy markets.

As the industry's first fully integrated electric frac pump, Liberty's digiFrac operates with higher power density and comparably lower emissions. The use of Natron's sodium-ion batteries will ensure the lowest possible emissions footprint for onsite power generation for the pump.

"The careful evaluation of sources of energy storage for our power-dense operations led our team to determine that Natron’s sodium-ion batteries are a safe, cost-effective solution that is already being utilized in industrial applications,” Liberty president Ron Gusek commented in the release.

In addition to Liberty's investment, Natron also recently received $7 million in investment money from Nabors Industries Ltd. in July 2022 to help advance battery production.

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Natron’s batteries are to be used to maximize uptime and optimize generator utilization ensuring the lowest possible emissions footprint for onsite power generation, the release stated. The Prussian blue sodium-ion technology offer higher powe density, longer service life and crucial safety characteristics to ensure successful power pumping applications.

"Our partnership with Liberty dramatically accelerates Natron's expansion into oil and gas markets with the introduction of battery storage in the completion services industry," Natron co-founder and CEO Colin Wessells, Ph.D., said in the release. "With the investment and support of Liberty, Natron is accelerating its manufacturing plans for the world's first mass production of sodium-ion batteries."

"Together, Liberty’s digiFrac and Natron’s batteries will advance ESG goals of reducing emissions, maintaining high safety standards and delivering a low total cost of ownership solution to Liberty’s customers,” Gusek added.