Planned 10-gigawatt Softbank data center in Ohio might be the largest in the world
Stargate AI data centers for OpenAI reportedly delayed by squabbles between partners
Zinc-halogen batteries have the potential to solve the thermal runaway risk associated with large lithium-ion installations, particularly when they’re sited inside or adjacent to server halls. SoftBank's zinc-halogen cells use pure water as their electrolyte, which the company said eliminates ignition risk, while the use of zinc and halogen compounds will reduce dependence on Chinese-controlled supply chains for lithium and cobalt.
While zinc-based batteries have shorter lifespans than Li-ion equivalents, Cosmos Lab, which developed the zinc-halogen cell technology, is working to address dendrite buildup on electrodes. DeltaX, meanwhile, will contribute containerized storage system design, with its Cell to Pack technology achieving 5.37 MWh in a standard 20-foot container.
The battery business extends a pattern of vertical integration that SoftBank has been building across AI infrastructure over the past 18 months. The company also controls Arm, the chip IP firm whose architecture underpins the majority of AI accelerators, and it spent $4 billion to acquire DigitalBridge for data center development capacity.
It’s also planning a 10-gigawatt data center complex in Ohio that would require its own $33 billion natural gas power plant, and, last month, SoftBank announced a new robotics unit designed to automate data center construction.
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Reference reading
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- https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/softbank-to-manufacture-its-own-batteries-to-power-ai-data-centers#main
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