Maplewell Energy, a virtual power plant developer, and zinc-battery developer Urban Electric Power (UEP) have entered into a strategic partnership. Maplewell will use UEP batteries in VPPs throughout North America for commercial and industrial customers. The storage systems will use Maplewell’s energy management system JANiiT to participate in grid services opportunities.

JANiiT provides real-time demand charge management and demand response for commercial and industrial buildings up to 250,000 ft², providing customers demand response revenue and demand charge savings. UEP zinc-manganese-dioxide batteries have gone through UL testing that does not show thermal runaway properties.

“After an exhaustive review of battery technology, we chose to partner with Urban Electric Power because of their patented zinc-based technology, the low carbon impact of sourcing zinc compared to other minerals, and their material chemistry advantages within the C&I space,” said Matt Irvin, CEO & Co-Founder of Maplewell. “By pairing these two innovative technologies, we’ve gained a unique competitive advantage in our go-to-market.”

“Maplewell’s software is the perfect fit for Urban Electric Power’s battery design. Their predictive analytics and control will allow our customers to tap into a broader range of energy asset management tools,” said Scott Macon, Urban Electric Power’s Chief Business Officer. “We’ve created a unified appliance that is greater than the sum of its parts.”

The partnership will begin with three pilot projects deployed this year.

News item from Maplewell Energy