Recently, sodium-ion batteries have garnered important consideration as a possible different to lithium-ion batteries. With world giants like CATL and BYD investing within the expertise and promising large-scale manufacturing, the prospects of sodium-ion batteries have captured the curiosity of the power storage and automotive trade. Dr Yashodan Gokhale, CTO – Battrixx, discusses the present standing of sodium ion expertise, provide chain dynamics, and challenges that have to be overcome to make it a business actuality.

Advantages of Sodium-ion battery expertise

Sodium-ion batteries provide a number of benefits over lithium-ion batteries, together with improved efficiency at decrease temperatures and a decreased provide chain dependency. The sodium-ion battery affords a major benefit in chilly temperature storage, because it performs remarkably effectively even at extraordinarily low temperatures, equivalent to -10°C or -20°C. Sodium-ion batteries have the benefit of excessive energy capabilities, enabling their use in each energy and power purposes, with the potential to function at 3C or 4C high-power charges. One of the numerous benefits of sodium-ion batteries is their security profile. The skill to face up to excessive temperatures and humidity ranges additional enhances their enchantment.

Technology readiness and business utilization

Furthermore, quite a few gamers within the trade are making daring claims about its lengthy cycle life, boasting about attaining greater than 4,000 to five,000 cycles. Moreover, attaining the specified efficiency and cycle life corresponding to lithium-ion batteries stays a focus for additional growth. Many firms, equivalent to Faradion, Tiamat (Europe), CATL (China), BYD, HINA, KPIT, NCL, and IIT Roorkee, are actively concerned in sodium ion analysis and growth.

Sodium-ion Battery Company List

– Faradion Limited

– AMTE Power PLC

– NGK Insulators Ltd

– HiNa Battery Technology Co. Ltd

– TIAMAT SAS

– Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited.-CATL

– Altris AB

– Natron Energy Inc.

– Altris

– BYD

While some firms have introduced developments of their merchandise, most are nonetheless within the expertise readiness ranges (TRL) between 5 and 6, which implies they’re exhibiting promising outcomes however haven’t reached the extent required for business manufacturing (TRL 7-9). The alternative of cathode and anode supplies is a vital facet that varies between firms and should influence the general business readiness of the expertise. While some firms have demonstrated promising outcomes and even showcased autos powered by sodium-ion batteries, business accessibility remains to be some years away. Major gamers like CATL, HINA, and BYD have showcased their progress with sodium-ion battery expertise, e.g. JAC Group introduced a car launch in collaboration with HiNa batteries. However, sensible availability remains to be restricted for unique gear producers (OEMs) or firms focused on buying sodium-ion cells to construct battery packs. It is projected that by the primary or second quarter of 2024, OEMs could possibly purchase the cells and create battery packs, just like the method with available lithium-ion cells, after going by way of crucial certifications.

Despite the media hype about sodium-ion batteries being a game-changer, there are some vital drawbacks that have to be addressed. Energy densities in sodium-ion batteries are at present within the vary of 100 wh/kg to 160 wh/kg, which might match the efficiency of LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) batteries. However, attaining reproducibility and scalability to satisfy large-scale demand, equivalent to producing a million sodium-ion cells for a selected area like India, remains to be difficult. Research includes experimenting with numerous parts from the periodic desk and choosing the suitable supplies to realize the specified efficiency, equivalent to matching the wh per kg of LFP batteries.

Cost and power density challenges

Cost is one other important issue hindering the business adoption of sodium-ion batteries. Although the trade goals to match the value of sodium-ion batteries to lead-acid batteries by 2025 or 2026, the present value is comparatively excessive, corresponding to NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) batteries and even greater. The uncooked materials utilized in sodium-ion batteries impacts the associated fee, and ongoing analysis and growth efforts in anode and electrolyte applied sciences are anticipated to carry down the associated fee over time steadily.

Major firms like CATL, BYD, Panasonic, Samsung, LG, and others have invested billions of {dollars} in growing their provide chains and lowering prices, making it difficult for sodium-ion batteries to compete when it comes to worth initially. While sodium-ion batteries maintain promise for the long run, their sensible availability, reproducibility, and cost-effectiveness nonetheless require additional developments and optimization. While LFP batteries have a confirmed monitor document, sodium-ion batteries provide the potential for greater power densities, exceeding 200 wh per kg, which makes them interesting for numerous purposes. As the expertise evolves and progresses, we are able to anticipate sodium-ion batteries to grow to be extra accessible and cost-competitive, making them a viable choice for numerous purposes within the power storage and transportation sectors.

Supply chain and gear

In the context of securing the provision chain for cell manufacturing, Indian firms are studying from the worldwide platform and realizing the significance of controlling the provision chain to scale back prices and guarantee good high quality. Major Indian OEMs and cell producers, a few of whom are a part of the PLI (Production Linked Incentive) scheme, are actively monitoring their provide chains. By strategically partnering with mining and refining firms, they purpose to safe the required uncooked supplies for cell manufacturing, just like how Tesla collaborated with Panasonic to regulate the sourcing of graphite, cobalt, and nickel for his or her batteries.

To set up a sturdy provide chain for sodium-ion batteries, the primary challenges lie in sourcing vital supplies and sustaining high quality. The problem of exhausting carbon, a key materials utilized in sodium-ion batteries, is being addressed by European and Japanese firms and a few Indian teams who’re engaged on producing high-quality exhausting carbon. Ensuring the purity and high quality of those supplies is crucial to keep away from points with growth and dendrite formation throughout cell reactions, particularly in areas with various temperatures like India.

The provide chain for sodium-ion batteries just isn’t as well-established in the mean time. The lithium-ion provide chain is extra mature and simpler to entry, with a number of Indian firms already making important investments in lithium-ion gigafactories. On the opposite hand, sodium-ion batteries are nonetheless within the prototyping and demonstration part, and gigafactories for sodium-ion cells are anticipated to start out operating in neighbouring nations by the tip of 2024.

Regarding gear manufacturing, there’s a excessive demand for equipment to arrange totally computerized manufacturing strains for battery cells. Indian firms are constructing or importing equipment from numerous nations to assist the expansion of lithium-ion gigafactories. As the demand for sodium-ion batteries will increase, comparable efforts will likely be made to determine gear manufacturing for sodium-ion cells in India. By round 2025, it’s anticipated that the set up of apparatus for sodium-ion batteries will likely be in progress, enabling the stepwise progress of the market share for sodium-ion expertise in India.

Electrolytes and separators

The provide chain for electrolytes and separators for sodium-ion batteries is steadily maturing, and by the tip of this 12 months, the manufacturing of electrolytes is predicted to start outdoors India, with eventual growth to India’s manufacturing capabilities.

Challenges for changing lithium-ion with sodium-ion batteries

For sodium-ion batteries to switch lithium-ion batteries in numerous purposes, trade gamers want to deal with the next challenges:

Developing economical sodium-ion cells: Sodium ion cells should grow to be cost-competitive with lithium-ion cells to encourage widespread adoption. For instance, within the case of electrical two-wheelers and three-wheelers, value and vary are vital elements. Manufacturers purpose to supply cost-effective autos with longer single-charge vary as prospects prioritize these features.

Addressing power density: The trade should assess the precise purposes and necessities. Improving power density to match or exceed lithium iron phosphate batteries is essential for gaining traction out there.

Volume manufacturing and accessibility: Companies must scale up manufacturing and guarantee accessibility for OEMs to combine sodium-ion batteries into their merchandise.

Overcoming technological boundaries: Challenges associated to exhausting carbon anodes, growth points, and different manufacturing complexities have to be resolved.

Ensuring security: This is one other essential facet. Safety requirements have been a priority within the unorganised electrical car manufacturing sector. Sodium-ion batteries can enhance security since they’re much less susceptible to thermal occasions in comparison with high-energy dense lithium-ion batteries. This could be particularly helpful in areas with excessive temperatures, as sodium-ion batteries provide higher thermal stability.

Conclusion

Sodium-ion batteries present immense promise as a viable different to lithium-ion batteries. While important progress has been made of their growth, business accessibility and cost-competitiveness stay vital milestones to realize. With ongoing analysis and trade collaborations, sodium-ion expertise is predicted to mature additional, ultimately establishing itself as a dependable and sustainable power storage resolution for the long run.

Also Read: Sodium-ion batteries| An alternative to Li-ion batteries?