The US Energy Department is funding efforts to enhance the energy density of sodium-ion batteries to rival the cost-effectiveness of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells, widely used in power banks and electric vehicles.
They are providing $50 million for research into sodium-ion batteries through the Low-cost Earth-abundant Na-ion Storage (LENS) consortium, which is led by the Argonne National Laboratory of the Department of Energy.
Research Collaboration
The LENS initiative involves several national laboratories, including Brookhaven, Lawrence Berkeley, Pacific Northwest, Sandia, and SLAC National Accelerator labs. The director of the consortium stated that the aim is to "boost sodium-ion energy density to equal and then surpass that of phosphate-based [LFP] lithium-ion batteries while reducing and eliminating the reliance on critical elements," which are typically sourced from China.
Recently, BYD, a Chinese company, revealed a sodium-ion energy storage system that boasts exceptional energy density. The US is eager to enhance its capabilities, given that it is one of the top producers of sodium, the essential and inexpensive material for Na-ion batteries.
Battery Cost Comparisons
Lithium batteries tend to be significantly more costly to manufacture, particularly those that include high-value metals like cobalt and nickel. This situation also heightens the reliance on Chinese suppliers, as the primary battery manufacturers and raw material suppliers are located there.
In addition to national labs, the LENS consortium comprises prestigious academic institutions, including Florida State University, University of California San Diego, University of Houston, University of Illinois Chicago, University of Maryland, University of Rhode Island, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Virginia Tech.
Excitement for Innovation
Feng Lin, a chemistry professor at Virginia Tech, expressed enthusiasm about participating in the sodium-ion battery commercialization initiative for electric vehicles: "Our world is on the edge of a major transformation in how we fuel our daily lives. With the shared knowledge of the LENS consortium, we now hold a special chance to advance new battery technologies for electric vehicles and to educate a new wave of scientists and engineers who will play a role in our domestic battery innovation and production."
The primary objective is to develop innovative electrode and electrolyte materials for sodium-ion batteries, as well as to create prototype cells that will be integrated into new sodium-ion battery packs, which are designed to have extended life cycles and high energy density.
