The energy density of the Swedish battery is similar to that of lithium-ion batteries currently used in energy storage without the need for lithium or other critical metals.
Northvolt has unveiled a sodium-ion battery claimed to be competitive with lithium-ion technology for energy storage applications. The Swedish battery firm says the newly developed sodium cell is safer and more cost-effective and is produced exclusively with minerals that are abundantly available. “Our sodium-ion technology delivers the performance required to enable energy storage with longer duration than alternative battery chemistries, at a lower cost, thereby opening new pathways to deploying renewable power generation. The potential of sodium-ion in this market alone will make a tremendous impact in the drive toward global electrification,” commented Northvolt CEO Peter Carlsson.
As a chemical cousin of lithium, sodium is a natural alternative charge carrier in batteries. Making up 2.3 percent by weight of Earth’s crust, sodium is much easier to come by than lithium, which constitutes about 0.002 percent of the crust. Sea water is also a potential source of sodium. Importantly, sodium’s physical and chemical properties are compatible with a wide range of electrode compositions, many of which can be made without critical metals such as nickel and cobalt.
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