May 07, 2024 14:00:00

Mass production of 'sodium-ion batteries' that can be charged and discharged 10 times faster than conventional batteries has finally begun

Lithium-ion batteries, which are used in many current products including smartphones and electric cars, are accompanied by

problems such as environmental destruction and resource depletion. American startup Natron Energy has announced that it has begun commercial production of a new type of battery, the 'sodium-ion battery,' which uses sodium, which is much more abundant than lithium, and can be charged faster than lithium-ion batteries.

Natron Energy Achieves First-Ever Commercial-Scale Production of Sodium-Ion Batteries in the US | Business Wire
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240428240613/en/Natron-Energy-Achieves-First-Ever-Commercial-Scale-Production-of-Sodium-Ion-Batteries-in-the-US/

Lithium-free sodium batteries exit the lab and enter US production
https://newatlas.com/energy/natron-sodium-ion-battery-production-startt/

Natron Energy, a sodium-ion technology venture founded in 2013, announced on April 29, 2024 that it has begun production of sodium-ion batteries at its manufacturing facility in Holland, Michigan.

Natron Energy announced production of sodium-ion batteries in 2022. Although the planned start of operations in 2023 has been postponed, this is said to be the first time that commercial-scale production of sodium-ion batteries has begun in the United States.

One of the biggest advantages of sodium-ion batteries is the ease with which they are made: Natron Energy says that their sodium-ion batteries are made entirely from abundantly available materials, including sodium, aluminum, iron, and manganese.

Sodium, a familiar mineral, is thought to be 500 to 1,000 times more abundant on Earth than lithium, and does not need to be mined in an environmentally harmful way. Also, unlike battery raw materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel, which are produced in limited areas, sodium-ion battery materials can be supplied in a stable manner and are considered to be resistant to geopolitical risks.

'We are excited to announce the operation of America's first commercial sodium-ion battery manufacturing facility,' said Colin Wessels, co-CEO of Natron Energy. 'Sodium-ion batteries are a unique alternative to lithium-ion batteries with high power, fast charging, long life and a completely safe and stable chemistry.'

According to the announcement, Natron Energy's battery charges and discharges 10 times faster than lithium-ion batteries and can be charged instantly, making it suitable for backup batteries that require short charge and discharge cycles. The estimated lifespan of 50,000 cycles also makes it suitable for this purpose.

On the other hand, a 2022 article states that 'Natron Energy's battery has an energy density of 70Wh/kg,' and since more than twice this is needed for mobile use, only stationary models are planned to be produced for the time being. Competitors are also entering the field one after another, including Chinese battery manufacturer CATL, which announced a 160Wh/kg sodium-ion battery in 2021 and is also aiming to achieve an energy density of 200Wh/kg for electric vehicles.

The newly opened manufacturing facility in Michigan is planned to produce 600 megawatts of sodium-ion batteries per year at full capacity, and is expected to start shipping sodium-ion batteries for data centers in June 2024 as storage batteries to meet the energy storage needs that will support the explosive development of AI.

Natron Energy also plans to focus on other industrial power markets in the future, with EV fast charging and telecommunications as future targets.