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Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm, Senators Wyden and Merkley and Governor Brown Tour ESS Inc. Iron Flow Battery Manufacturing Facility

August 10, 2022

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Wilsonville

OR

United States

Wilsonville, Ore. – August 9, 2022 - ESS Inc. (NYSE: GWH), a leading manufacturer of long-duration iron flow batteries for commercial and utility-scale energy storage applications, today hosted Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Oregon Governor Kate Brown for a tour of its Wilsonville, Oregon facility and headquarters. Employing 235 people and growing, ESS manufactures grid-scale iron flow batteries which provide long-duration energy storage and enable the transition to a decarbonized energy system.

The delegation toured the rapidly expanding manufacturing operations of ESS’s innovative iron flow battery systems and met with ESS employees. ESS technology was developed in the United States and is safe and non-toxic, utilizes earth-abundant and domestically sourced iron, salt and water for the electrolyte, and provides a more sustainable, safer and lower-cost alternative to zinc, vanadium or lithium-ion energy storage technologies.

“You guys are amazing. This is what keeps me up at night: How do we get long duration energy storage?” said Secretary Granholm. “We need to get the word out – on my next trip, I want to visit one of your sites where it's actually being deployed."

"Oregon is proud to be a leader in clean energy, and companies like ESS are creating jobs and building the economy of the future right here," said Senator Wyden. "I’m proud to have written the green energy provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act that will position America as a global clean technology leader. There’s more work to be done, but this week’s Senate vote takes a huge step forward to build an energy economy that works for everyone."

“I am proud that the investments in the Inflation Reduction Act will help transition America to clean energy and build high quality jobs,” said Senator Merkley. “Innovative, long-duration energy storage technologies like ESS's iron flow batteries, built here in Oregon, can play a critical role in addressing the climate crisis and decarbonizing our grid. The Inflation Reduction Act is the first step in building a resilient, low-carbon energy system that delivers real opportunity for Oregonians and Americans.”

“In Oregon, we are seeing the impacts of the climate crisis firsthand. Commercial-scale battery storage is a key part of moving Oregon towards a clean energy future,” said Governor Brown. “The iron flow batteries being built by ESS Inc., are at the cutting edge of long-duration, sustainable battery technology, and they are being manufactured by workers right here in Oregon.”

“We are honored to welcome Secretary Granholm, Senators Wyden and Merkley and Governor Brown to our Wilsonville facility,” said Eric Dresselhuys, CEO of ESS. “We thank them for their continued leadership and vital contributions to building a resilient, decarbonized energy future for the United States. With their support, ESS is working to accelerate deployment of domestically produced, sustainable long-duration storage to decarbonize America’s grid, protecting the climate while creating jobs and opportunities.”

ESS systems are made in America by U.S. workers, with over 80% of the raw materials sourced through a secure, domestic supply chain. By providing up to 12 hours of storage capacity, ESS iron flow technology provides critical services needed as more wind and solar are integrated onto the electric grid. In addition to grid ancillary services such as frequency response and voltage regulation, long-duration energy storage delivers solar peak shifting and energy demand smoothing, allowing the grid to be powered by renewable energy 24/7.

About ESS Inc.

At ESS (NYSE: GWH), our mission is to accelerate global decarbonization by providing safe, sustainable, long-duration energy storage that powers people, communities and businesses with clean, renewable energy anytime and anywhere it’s needed. As more renewable energy is added to the grid, long-duration energy storage is essential to providing the reliability and resiliency we need when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing.

 

Our technology uses earth-abundant iron, salt and water to deliver environmentally safe solutions capable of providing up to 12 hours of flexible energy capacity for commercial and utility-scale energy storage applications. Established in 2011, ESS Inc. enables project developers, independent power producers, utilities and other large energy users to deploy reliable, sustainable long-duration energy storage solutions. For more information visit www.essinc.com.