Sodium-ion batteries - statistics & facts
Sodium-ion batteries (Na-ion) present several advantages compared to the more widely used lithium-ion technology. They are efficient at high and cold temperatures, non-flammable when using water as a solvent, and do not contain harmful minerals, such as lithium, cobalt, or nickel. Sodium-ion batteries also have the longest lifetime among battery storage systems. But the key factor that increases the profitability of sodium-ion batteries is that sodium is easily obtained in nature. Sodium’s abundance and the fact that these batteries do not require critical minerals make their energy cost considerably lower than that of lithium-based and redox flow batteries.
Increasing the energy density of sodium-ion batteries is on the agenda of several battery manufacturers. In 2024, the Finland-based company Broadbit and the Japanese company NGK Insulators announced the production of a sodium-ion battery cell with an energy density of more than 200 watt-hours per kilogram.
Advantages and disadvantages of sodium-ion batteries
Despite being safer and more cost-effective than other battery storage systems, sodium-ion batteries present some downsides. The main disadvantage of this technology is its energy density, which is almost half that of lithium-ion batteries. They are also comparatively bulkier and heavier than lithium-ion batteries.Increasing the energy density of sodium-ion batteries is on the agenda of several battery manufacturers. In 2024, the Finland-based company Broadbit and the Japanese company NGK Insulators announced the production of a sodium-ion battery cell with an energy density of more than 200 watt-hours per kilogram.
