We have relied upon lithium-ion batteries to power electric vehicles and mobile phones, among other things, almost since the inception of their respective industries. But the mining and processing necessary to manufacture these batteries provides one of their major drawbacks—not only does their production pose environmental and human costs, but their improper disposal can inject toxins into the environment.
Sodium, which is both cheaper and more environmentally friendly than lithium, recently emerged as a promising alternative. Sodium-ion batteries also last much longer than their lithium-based counterparts—they can withstand literally millions of additional charge cycles.
As with so many other technologies, the U.S. stands in the forefront: for example, sodium-ion battery manufacturer Natron Energy recently announced it would open a “gigafactory” in North Carolina, producing 24 gigawatt hours of batteries annually – enough energy to charge 24,000 electric vehicles. Natron produces these batteries in the same fashion as the lithium-ion version, just with different ingredients: sodium, iron, and manganese instead of lithium, nickel, and cobalt.
However, sodium-ion batteries have yet to hit the market at scale. Their biggest issue is weight; sodium weighs nearly three times as much as lithium and cannot store the same amount of energy. As a result, sodium-ion batteries tend to be larger.
Although some believe sodium-ion batteries’ energy-density could be improved over time, the size issue suggests they are not a next-generation candidate to power our smartphones or electric vehicles, but such batteries could be a candidate in situations where the size is not a concern, like energy storage. If your business needs green power from a stationary source, and size is not an issue, sodium-ion technology might greatly reduce your costs in that area.
