Sodium-ion batteries have persistently occupied headlines recently, with claims they are the super batteries of the future. The evidence on the table certainly seems powerful. Sodium-ion batteries are safer and cheaper. They are also less likely to contain materials mined in conditions we would not tolerate in our own country. But how good is sodium-ion technology really, when we set these concerns aside?
Is Sodium-Ion Technology Good Enough For Us?
China certainly seems to think that the product is a runner, with BYD constructing a huge factory there. Sweden’s Northvolt could also be heading in that direction, with a design matching the lower end of lithium-ion density.
If North America decided to follow suit, then we could have no shortage of sodium materials locally either. It can be wiser to take baby steps up a cliff when changing technology, rather than leaping across a canyon.
Ease of transition is important too, when considering how good sodium-ion is, as a replacement for lithium-ion. The two chemistries are similar, with active ions shuttling between anodes and cathodes during charging and discharging.
However, on the practical side sodium could suit our varied lifestyles better. That’s because it is happier in the warm tropics, and frozen wastes than lithium-ion. We probably wouldn’t need to worry ourselves as much about a battery overheating either.
A ‘Countermove’ to Sodium on the Way
Sodium came under the spotlight when lithium prices were sky high. That’s not the case currently, after the supply chain improved. In fact, prices could fall below $100/kWh by 2027, according to MSN.
Meanwhile, new lithium-battery technologies regularly steal the headlines, especially with the emergence of non-flammable solid electrolytes. We might not have to worry about the price of lithium-ion much in future, if we implement new methods to recycle the lithium we already have.
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