{
  "id": 14458602,
  "title": "Redwood Materials has a new business: Helping AI data centers avoid America's backed-up electric grid",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/redwood-materials-has-a-new-business-helping-ai-data-centers-avoid",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-14T13:00:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/redwood-materials-recycled-ev-batteries-power-ai-data-centers-2026-10"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Redwood Materials, a battery recycling company, is now offering a solution to help AI data centers obtain electricity more quickly than simply connecting to America's overloaded power grid. CEO JB Straubel explained that obtaining a connection to the grid can take years, leading Redwood to develop \"behind-the-meter\" energy systems that operate independently from the grid.\n\nRedwood Materials intends to merge second-life EV batteries with solar and other on-site power sources, enabling customers to generate and store electricity at their own locations. To date, Redwood has partnered with Rivian to construct energy storage systems at the EV maker's manufacturing facilities, beginning with a 10-megawatt-hour installation at Rivian's Illinois plant. The company has also developed a battery storage racking system that integrates with its own power electronics and software, transforming its recycling business into a more comprehensive energy solution.\n\nLast year, Redwood launched its Redwood Energy division, emphasizing that EV batteries retain significant utility even after being removed from vehicles. In addition to Rivian, Redwood is constructing a battery system for a Crusoe data center in Nevada. CEO Straubel emphasized that the core issue for AI data centers is the speed at which they can access power, highlighting Redwood's growing role in delivering faster energy solutions to data centers reliant on AI.",
  "summary": "JB Straubel's Redwood Materials is using retired EV batteries to help AI data centers get electricity faster, without waiting for the strained grid.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}