Battery demand has soared in recent months as developers of data centers and AI computing are increasingly relying on battery energy storage to manage power surges, executives at battery start-ups have told the Financial Times. For example, U.S.-based sodium-ion battery start-up Alsym Energy, backed by investments from India’s Tata Group, has seen demand surge this year, as developers want energy storage to support their operations at times of extreme power fluctuations. “Battery has become an essential component, not a desired component…