Project Overview
A Milestone for Energy Vault
The Cross Trails BESS project is Energy Vault's first developed, owned, and operated battery energy storage system.
At 57 MW / 114MWh, the system provides energy and ancillary services to support renewable energy production and improve grid resiliency in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) region. The project leverages Energy Vault's fully integrated solution stack of hardware, software, and service offerings. Cross Trails also serves as the first deployment of Energy Vault's second generation B-VAULT™ AC product.
The project is backed by a significant partnership with Gridmatic, featuring a 10-year offtake agreement that began in Q2 2025. This agreement marks the first physically settled revenue floor contract signed for a BESS in ERCOT and leverages Gridmatic's AI-based forecasting capabilities, which have demonstrated leading performance in Day Ahead energy trading within the ERCOT market. As part of the agreement, Gridmatic also provides QSE (Qualified Scheduling Entity) services. The Cross Trails project reached COD ahead of schedule in May of 2025.
Project Delivery Highlights
What Made This Project Different
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First Technical Deployment
Cross trails is Energy Vault's first deployment of its Second Generation B-VAULT™ AC product. The fully integrated systems enabled Energy Vault to deliver the system ahead of schedule and at lower cost while also providing higher levels of system availability in the ERCOT grid.
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Market Leading Project
The Cross Trails offtake agreement is the first physically settled revenue floor contract to be signed for a BESS in ERCOT. The agreement is backed by Gridmatic's previously announced Energy Storage Fund and provides both Energy Vault and Gridmatic with the benefit of Gridmatic's AI-based forecasts.
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Own and Operate
The Cross Trails project marks Energy Vault's first fully developed, owned, and operated battery energy storage project, signaling a strategic shift toward long-term asset ownership. This milestone underscores the company's commitment to leveraging its proprietary technology and energy management platform to maximize performance, reliability, and financial returns.
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Software-Enabled Startup and Operation
The VaultOS™ Energy Management System controls, manages and optimizes the BESS operations, allowing for superior energy management capabilities.
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