pv Gridtential Energy and EAI working to develop hi-tech batteries to support boost in demand for household solar energy Friday, 26 February 2021 Engineers from Gridtential Energy Inc. and Electric Applications Incorporated (EAI), supported by the Consortium for Battery Innovation (CBI), are working to further develop quick and safe ‘plug and play’ solar powered energy storage systems to meet the boom in demand for renewable, and secure, energy in US homes. Courtesy of NREL. Gridtential Energy is the pioneer of Silicon Joule, a bipolar battery technology which uses silicon wafers (similar to those in solar cells) in traditional lead batteries to reduce weight and achieve performance competitive with lithium-ion at a lower cost. The new research project will combine Silicon Joule technology with the testing expertise of (EAI) to develop high voltage reference batteries specifically for so-called behind-the-meter energy storage applications.