Dive Brief: Long duration energy storage company ESS Inc. is publicly listing its stock through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), the latest storage startup to go public through the expedited strategy. Oregon-based ESS manufacturers flow batteries, which it says have advantages over lithium-ion batteries because they rely on more abundant materials and are safer from the risk of fire or explosions. The public listing comes amid a flurry of storage and electric vehicle startups going public through the SPAC method, a more streamlined process than a traditional initial public offering (IPO). Last month, artificial intelligence-based storage system Stem Inc. announced the completion of its business combination with SPAC Star Peak Energy Transition, becoming "the first pure-play smart energy storage company to go public in the U.S.," according to a release.