Cycle is a term for a rotation or a repetition of something. Real estate prices go through cycles, and for that matter political loyalties and the seasons too. However, in our world of batteries cycling means charging and discharging repetitively. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries may achieve this feat several hundred times. But a sodium battery with millions of cycles … now that could be something to write home about.
Millions of Lithium-Ion Batteries Later, Sodium Arrives
The Washington Post made no bones about it on November 3, 2024. A new option has emerged for lithium-ion batteries it claimed, and that opportunity is sodium-ion chemistry which is cheaper and safer.
The signs are already there, including the announcement of Natron’s new North Carolina sodium-ion battery factory. However, this is not to say that a flood of similar projects will follow. A new order is not yet on the agenda, by all accounts.
The Benefits Will Have to Wait in the Wings for Now
Just like lithium-ion batteries, there are a variety of different sodium-ion chemistries. However, this is not to say that all of these will produce a sodium battery with millions of cycles. Natron’s design will have a similar structure to lithium ion, but use different ingredients.
We understand that the newcomer will use sodium, iron and manganese, instead of lithium, nickel and cobalt. Sodium, iron and manganese are cheaper than lithium, nickel and cobalt. This is where the cost-benefit lies.
But there is a flaw in this optimistic vision of the immediate future. You see, sodium-ion batteries have a lower power-to-weight ratio than lithium-ion ones, because sodium weighs three times as much as lithium. Battery capacity matters in the electric vehicle industry.
But sodium-ion batteries last much longer than lithium-ion ones do, and that is a critical factor in the energy storage business. The CEO of Natron Energy mentioned a sodium battery with millions of cycles during their interview with Washington Post. Let’s wait and see what happens next.
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Affordable Sodium-Ion Batteries Closer Now
