Suffolk Reporter

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has launched a $50 million initiative to develop sodium-ion batteries as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to lithium-ion technology. The Low-cost Earth-abundant Na-ion Storage (LENS) consortium, led by DOE's Argonne National Laboratory, aims to create high-energy, long-lasting sodium-ion batteries using safe and abundant materials.

Paul Kearns, Director of Argonne National Laboratory, stated, "By leading the LENS consortium, Argonne will push sodium-ion battery technology forward and contribute to a secure energy future for everyone." This project addresses the need to reduce reliance on critical elements used in lithium-ion batteries.

Currently dominating the global energy storage market are lithium-ion batteries, which power devices from smartphones to electric vehicles. However, these batteries depend on critical elements like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. Sodium offers an abundant alternative that could enhance supply chain resilience.

Venkat Srinivasan, director of the LENS consortium and Argonne Collaborative Center for Energy Storage Science (ACCESS), said: "The challenge ahead is improving sodium-ion energy density so that it first matches and then exceeds that of phosphate-based lithium-ion batteries while minimizing and eliminating the use of all critical elements."

The United States is well-positioned for sodium-ion technology development due to its substantial production of sodium chloride and sodium. While promising as an alternative battery solution, sodium-ion technology faces challenges in storing less energy per unit weight compared to lithium-ion counterparts.

Will Chueh from SLAC-Stanford Battery Center noted: "Sustaining the deployment of electric vehicles requires affordable and sustainable battery chemistries. The bold technical targets of LENS aim to transform sodium-ion batteries from a promising technology to a viable component of tomorrow’s electric vehicles."

The consortium includes researchers from national laboratories such as Brookhaven National Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, alongside eight university partners including Florida State University and University of California San Diego. Gerd Ceder from Berkeley Lab emphasized the importance of foundational research in developing competitive sodium-ion battery technology.

An advisory board with established companies will provide industry insights aimed at fostering a U.S. ecosystem for sodium-ion batteries. The LENS initiative forms part of DOE's broader efforts into researching this emerging chemistry for applications in electric vehicles and grid storage.