Redwood Materials has closed a $425 million Series E led by Eclipse Ventures, with Google joining as a new investor. The January 2026 financing was an expansion of the $350 million round announced in October 2025. Redwood says it will use the capital to expand Redwood Energy, its stationary-storage business, while continuing to invest in battery recycling, critical-minerals recovery, and battery materials.
The investment matters because Redwood is attempting to connect three rapidly growing markets: battery recycling, energy storage, and AI data-center infrastructure. Its Nevada project with Crusoe shows how repurposed electric-vehicle batteries could help bring power online faster—but it does not mean Google has agreed to deploy Redwood systems at its data centers or that batteries can replace the grid.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What happened in Redwood’s Series E?
Redwood first announced a $350 million Series E in October 2025, led by Eclipse Ventures and including participation from Nvidia’s venture arm, NVentures. In January 2026, the company announced the final close at $425 million, adding Google and continuing participation from existing backers Capricorn Investment Group and Goldman Sachs Alternatives.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →This is best understood as a final close or extension of the same Series E, rather than a separately announced new financing. Redwood said the money will support the expansion of its energy-storage platform and continued investment in its recycling and critical-minerals businesses. Redwood’s financing announcement does not disclose Google’s check size. Axios reported that Google invested $75 million, but that figure should be treated as a media report rather than a company-confirmed amount.
#1 Best Overall
- This Certified Refurbished product is tested and certified to look and work like new. The refurbishing process includes functionality testing, basic cleaning, inspection, and repackaging. The product ships with all relevant accessories, a minimum 90-day warranty, and may arrive in a generic box. Only select sellers who maintain a high performance bar may offer Certified Refurbished products on Amazon.com
- Brand: HP HTSNS-PL18 Power Supply PSU
- Generic Part Number: 506821-001
- Part Number: 506822-201
- Spare Part Number: 511778-001
TechCrunch also reported, citing a source, that Redwood’s post-money valuation was above $6 billion. Redwood has not publicly disclosed that valuation in the financing announcement.
Why would Google invest in a battery-recycling company?
Google operates a large global data-center network, and the rapid expansion of artificial-intelligence computing is making electricity availability a strategic constraint. New data centers need large amounts of power, high reliability, and access to grid capacity. In many regions, securing an interconnection and completing grid upgrades can take longer than building the computing facility itself.
Battery storage cannot create unlimited electricity, but it can help manage the timing and delivery of available power. A storage system may be used to:
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
- bridge periods when grid upgrades or new interconnections are delayed;
- reduce peak demand and demand-related costs;
- smooth solar or other intermittent generation;
- provide backup or supplemental power;
- support power quality for sensitive computing equipment; and
- create modular, behind-the-meter power systems for industrial sites and data centers.
Google’s investment is consistent with broader interest in energy technologies, but the public evidence does not establish that Google invested specifically to install Redwood systems at its own facilities. There is also no disclosed commitment requiring Google to buy a particular amount of storage or become a Redwood power customer.
Redwood’s business is broader than energy storage
Founded in 2017 by former Tesla chief technology officer JB Straubel, Redwood Materials originally focused on recycling batteries and recovering materials such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, and copper. It later expanded into cathode materials and other inputs used in battery manufacturing. Redwood describes its broader business here.
The company’s strategic model is increasingly integrated:
Rank #2
- INPUT: 200V-240V ~ 6.6A
- OUTPUT: 1200W(MAX.)
- Switching Power Supply.
- collect battery packs and manufacturing scrap;
- diagnose and sort used packs;
- reuse suitable packs in stationary-storage systems;
- recycle packs that are no longer appropriate for second-life use; and
- recover critical minerals and manufacture battery materials.
That integration could give Redwood access to battery feedstock, diagnostic information, technical expertise, and recycling capacity that a standalone storage developer may not have. It also means Redwood Energy is an expansion of the company’s original recycling and materials business—not a replacement for it.
What is Redwood Energy?
Redwood Energy supplies integrated stationary-storage systems. Its offerings can include DC battery blocks, AC blocks, energy-management systems, engineering, procurement and construction, commissioning, operations, and maintenance.
The company’s central technology is called Pack Manager. Redwood says it allows different electric-vehicle battery packs and chemistries to operate within a common storage system. Rather than assuming every pack is identical, the controls manage differences in pack-level voltage, current, degradation, and performance. Redwood’s explanation of repurposed storage describes this approach in more detail.
Why use second-life EV batteries?
An EV battery can become unsuitable for vehicle service before it is completely depleted. Vehicles place demanding constraints on weight, acceleration, range, vibration, and packaging. Stationary systems can be more flexible: they do not need to minimize weight to the same extent, can operate under controlled conditions, and may be able to derate or replace individual battery units.
Redwood says many packs retain more than 50% usable capacity when removed from vehicle service. That is a company-level generalization, not a universal threshold. Actual remaining capacity depends on the vehicle model, battery chemistry, age, thermal history, operating profile, and safety condition.
The potential benefit is a second revenue-generating use before final recycling. Repurposing may reduce the cost and embodied material demand of a storage project, but second-life batteries are not free power. They still require diagnostics, transportation, repackaging, power electronics, controls, fire protection, maintenance, warranties, and eventual recycling.
Rank #3
- POWER AND CHARGE: This rack mount power strip provides an additional 8 NEMA 5-15 outlets (120V/15A) and features a 6ft (1,8m) long cord so you can plug your devices in while leaving the rack mobile
- 1U RACK DESIGN: Compatible with all 19" server racks 4 inches or deeper, this horizontal-mount power distribution unit fits many network racks and has an integrated power cord; ANSI/EIA RS-310-D standard
- EASY INSTALLATION: This IT-grade rackmount PDU features a rugged steel chassis, LED indicators for ground and surge protection, and lets you control the power state with power and reset switches
- PROTECTS YOUR EQUIPMENT: This rack mountable 8-outlet (120V) power strip features a built-in circuit breaker and reset switch, ensuring a dependable performance of your networking equipment
- THE IT PRO'S CHOICE: Designed and built for IT Professionals, this rack PDU is backed for 2-Years, including free lifetime 24/5 multi-lingual technical assistance
The Crusoe project is Redwood’s clearest proof point
The most concrete example is a Nevada microgrid built with Crusoe for modular AI data centers. The system combines solar generation with repurposed EV batteries and has reported specifications of:
- 12 megawatts of power capacity;
- 63 megawatt-hours of battery capacity;
- four initial Crusoe Spark modular AI data centers;
- commissioning in under four months, according to Redwood; and
- a later expansion from four to 24 modular units.
Crusoe later reported 99.2% operational availability over seven months. These figures are company-reported. The expansion announcement says the project was scaled to nearly seven times its original compute capacity. See the original Crusoe announcement and the expansion announcement.
A simple nameplate calculation gives the system approximately 5.25 hours of storage at 12 MW: 63 MWh divided by 12 MW. That is not a measured runtime. It ignores reserve margins, conversion losses, solar contribution, battery degradation, and operating limits.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The project demonstrates speed, modularity, and a possible way to deploy computing capacity before a full traditional grid build-out. It does not prove that second-life batteries can provide indefinite 24/7 power, replace utility-scale generation, or meet every reliability requirement of a hyperscale data center.
How much battery supply could Redwood access?
Redwood says it receives more than 20 GWh of batteries annually, equivalent to approximately 250,000 EVs, and represents about 90% of lithium-ion batteries recycled in North America. Those are Redwood’s claims and should not be treated as independently audited market-share figures.
Battery intake is not the same as second-life supply. Only some received batteries will be suitable for reuse. Availability depends on:
Rank #4
- Fully Modular PSU: Reliable and efficient, low-noise power supply with fully modular cabling, so you only have to connect the cables your system build needs.
- Intel ATX 3.1 Certified: Compliant with the ATX 3.1 power standard, supporting PCIe 5.1 platform withstands 2x transient power excursions from the GPU.
- Keeps Quiet: A 120mm rifle bearing fan with a specially calculated fan curve keeps fan noise down, even when operating at full load.
- 105°C-Rated Capacitors: Delivers steady, reliable power and dependable electrical performance.
- Modern Standby Compatible: Extremely fast wake-from-sleep times and better low-load efficiency.
- the condition and chemistry of each pack;
- diagnostic and safety testing;
- vehicle-owner or manufacturer permissions;
- transportation and handling requirements;
- customer demand for particular storage specifications; and
- the economics of reuse compared with immediate recycling.
Similarly, annual battery throughput is not installed storage capacity. Inventory is not contracted project capacity, and a stockpile of batteries cannot be assumed to be deployable megawatt-hours.
Why AI is changing the storage market
AI data centers create unusually concentrated and urgent electricity demand. Their developers need large blocks of power, high utilization, predictable uptime, and rapid construction schedules. They may also need to limit emissions or integrate renewable generation.
Redwood presents storage as a way to reduce the “speed-to-power” gap, arguing that battery systems can sometimes be deployed in months while traditional grid interconnections may take years. That is a broad market claim, not a guaranteed project timeline. Permitting, fire-code compliance, land-use approvals, interconnection rules, site preparation, generation availability, and equipment supply still determine how quickly a project can operate. Redwood’s data-center storage material explains the company’s position.
The crucial limitation is that batteries shift and buffer electricity; they do not produce unlimited net energy. A large AI campus still needs generation, transmission, grid access, fuel, renewable resources, or some combination of them. Storage can help cover peaks and short interruptions, but prolonged operation depends on the energy source that recharges it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the financing signals
Google’s participation, alongside earlier participation from NVentures, suggests that AI companies and their surrounding ecosystems increasingly view energy infrastructure as strategically important. The bottleneck is no longer only chips, servers, and data-center buildings. It is also the ability to secure, deliver, and manage electricity.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteFor Redwood, the opportunity is to sell more than recycled materials. The company is trying to capture value at several stages of a battery’s life: recycling and mineral recovery at the end of one use, stationary storage during a second use, and materials manufacturing for future batteries.
Best Value
- Delivers 600W Continuous output at plus 40℃. Compliance with Intel ATX 12V 2. 31 and EPS 12V 2. 92 standards
- 80 PLUS Certified – 80% efficiency under typical load. Power good signal is 100-500 millisecond
- Supports (2) PCI-E 6 plus 2pin Connectors. Active (PFC) Power Factor Correction, MTBF: 100, 000 hours
- Industry Grade Protections: (OPP) Over Power Protection, (OVP) Over Voltage Protection, (SCP) Short Circuit Protection
- Hold up time is 16 millisecond minimum within 60 percent load. Input frequency range 50 - 60 in Hz
For investors, that creates a larger potential market but also a more complex execution challenge. Redwood must prove that the economics of repurposed batteries remain attractive after testing, integration, safety systems, maintenance, and eventual recycling are included.
Important risks and limitations
Variable battery condition
Second-life packs vary by chemistry, manufacturer, age, degradation, and thermal history. That can make performance modeling, warranty design, and project financing more complicated than with standardized new batteries.
Safety and permitting
Large battery installations require thermal monitoring, fire detection and suppression, containment, emergency procedures, and compliance with local rules. A technically viable system can still face delays or higher costs because of permitting and site requirements.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesDuration and backup
A 12 MW/63 MWh system has about 5.25 hours of nominal duration, not continuous long-term generation. The Crusoe project also involves solar and grid-backup arrangements. Crusoe’s reported 99.2% operational availability is not the same as a cloud-service availability target of 99.9% or higher.
Supply and scale
Redwood’s ability to receive batteries does not automatically translate into a reliable supply of project-ready packs. The company must secure enough suitable batteries, process them consistently, and deploy systems at commercial scale.
Competition
Redwood competes with new-build lithium-ion storage, utility upgrades, gas generation, and longer-duration technologies. New systems from providers such as Tesla Megapack, Fluence, and Wärtsilä Energy Storage may be preferable where standardized equipment, established warranties, and bankability matter most. For multi-day storage, Crusoe has announced a 12 GWh capacity agreement with Form Energy, whose iron-air technology targets a different use case.
What a serious buyer should ask
- What is the guaranteed usable capacity rather than the nameplate capacity?
- What degradation curve and end-of-life definition apply?
- Are the battery packs traceable to known vehicle platforms?
- What are the warranty term and performance guarantees?
- How are thermal events detected, isolated, and contained?
- Can the system black-start or operate in island mode?
- How much power can it deliver continuously?
- What happens when individual packs fail?
- What generation source recharges the batteries during extended low-solar periods?
- What is the cost per usable kilowatt-hour after integration, construction, controls, and maintenance?
- Can the site operate if the storage system is unavailable?
What this means for investors and the market
The Series E is significant because it links Redwood’s original battery-recycling business to the urgent power needs of AI infrastructure. Google’s investment is a strategic signal that energy availability is becoming part of the technology race.
Recommended Free Tools
But the financing is not proof of a Google procurement contract, and the Nevada microgrid is not proof that second-life batteries can power every type of data center. Redwood still has to demonstrate that its systems can scale safely, reliably, and economically beyond early commercial deployments.
For readers evaluating the company as an investment story, the key question is whether Redwood Energy becomes a meaningful infrastructure business without weakening the economics of Redwood’s recycling and materials operations. For the broader market, the deal shows why battery lifecycle companies are increasingly being evaluated not only as recyclers, but also as potential suppliers of rapidly deployable power.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
