NRD Unveils Nickel-63 Solid-State Nuclear Battery Boasting 100 Year Operational Lifespan

NRD LLC introduces the NBV series nuclear battery. Using Nickel-63 decay, the device offers maintenance-free power for over a century in remote environments.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 12, 2026, 5:03 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Interesting Engineering

Centennial Power for Remote Electronics

NRD LLC has officially debuted its NBV series, a solid-state nuclear battery engineered to deliver uninterrupted energy for more than 100 years without the need for servicing. This new technology utilizes a betavoltaic design, leveraging the natural radioactive decay of Nickel-63 to generate a steady electrical current. The system is specifically aimed at the ultra-low power sector, providing a solution for critical components where traditional battery replacement or recharging is physically or economically impractical.

Technical Specifications of Betavoltaic Architecture

The NBV series operates within a specialized power bracket, delivering outputs ranging from 5 nanowatts to 500 nanowatts. Encased in a compact 20 mm by 20 mm by 12 mm form factor, the device supports a voltage range of 1.0 V to 20.0 V with a nominal current between 7.5 nA and 33 nA. Unlike chemical batteries that rely on limited reactions, these betavoltaic devices convert the energy released during beta decay directly into power, ensuring a consistent energy supply over decades.

Reliability in Hostile and Inaccessible Environments

According to NRD Chief Executive Officer Shel Alfiero, the high integrity of the NBV series is essential for mission sets where a power failure could lead to total system collapse. The battery is positioned as a maintenance-free micro power solution for industrial monitoring, security systems, and environmental sensing. By providing protracted reliability in hostile or remote settings, the battery enables the long-term operation of AI-enabled autonomous platforms and infrastructure monitoring tools that require minimal but constant energy to maintain system states.