Contributed Commentary by Dr. Bor Jang, Solidion
September 10, 2024 | The global demand for batteries is expected to quadruple to 4,100 gigawatt-hours (GWh) by 2030. With the incredible potential of battery technologies driving great investment and research in space, there was bound to be some competition around identifying the ideal materials to fuel these batteries. While lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have enjoyed the lion’s share of the market for over 30 years and captured everyone’s imagination, other alternatives have repeatedly been considered with one option long holding its position as a true challenger: the sodium-ion battery (NIB).
Ironically, we saw a competition play out before when NIBs originally went head-to-head with LIBs in the 1980s. Despite both technologies holding immense promise, LIBs ultimately came out on top, helped by the limitations observed in early NIBs, such as energy density, charge rate, and cycle life. But that was not the end of discussion, as over the course of investing in LIBs, we started experiencing some critical limitations, such as high cost, safety hazards, and a negative environmental impact. With recent market developments, including batteries that can charge in seconds and funding from both private capital sponsors, including VC firms Eclipse and TDK Ventures, and public entities, such as the US Government, NIBs are once again back in the spotlight and gaining incredible momentum as the world searches for a cheaper, safer, and more environment-friendly alternative to LIBs.
Powering the Energy Transition
With use cases that include smart grids, power backup and energy storage—an essential aspect of the energy transition—NIBs can play a crucial role in reaching the Paris Agreement’s target of net zero by 2050. We’re already seeing manufacturers across a number of decarbonization industries turning to NIBs as they provide a lower-cost and more sustainable alternative to the precocious battery king, the LIB. Lithium-ion and solid-state lithium metal batteries may be better suited for powering today’s EVs, but when it comes to the global energy transition, there’s no better option than sodium-ion batteries.
Having said that, the many advantages of sodium-ion technology can and should open the door to widespread and more near-term adoption of NIBs for certain classes of EVs as well, including shorter-range cars, mini-cars, 3-wheeled vehicles, off-street vehicles (including golf cars, wheeled chairs, and others), and industrial vehicles (such as forklifts and warehouse product movers). With more research, investment and collaboration driving the development of NIBs, the technology’s potential toward electric vehicles and storage applications is immense.
The Case for Sodium-Ion Supremacy: Sustainability & Safety
The need for NIBs to advance our net zero goals and the global energy transition is just one factor behind my belief in the sodium-ion battery’s supremacy. The other is the sheer number of advantages they have over LIBs. Starting with the composition and materials needed to produce the batteries, NIBs are far more environmentally friendly. The essential material, sodium (Na), is more abundant in the Earth’s crust—with Na comprising 2.36%, compared to just 0.002% for lithium (Li)—and can be sourced from sea water, as well. LIBs also require the use of rare metals and minerals, such as cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni), which are more expensive and the processing of these elements can have a negative impact on the environment, not to mention navigating complex and challenging labor dynamics.
Not only are NIBs safer for the environment, but they are also much safer for consumers. LIBs are more sensitive to extreme temperatures and are prone to thermal runaway, which occurs when the internal heat generated exceeds the amount of heat being dissipated. If left unchecked, it will cause the battery to overheat, bulge, and rupture, leading to the fires and explosions that have unfortunately become commonplace with LIBs.
The Global Race for Market Leadership
I’m not the only one who has seen the potential, promise and advantages sodium-ion batteries present either—the global battery community has been dedicating immense amounts of capital in the technology, with China currently leading the way. According to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, 99.4% of sodium-ion cell manufacturing is based in China. While that is expected to drop by the end of the decade, their share will still stand at a significant 96.3%. Earlier this year, China broke ground on its first-large scale sodium-ion storage station, with a battery that charges to 90% in just 12 minutes. It’s clear that China has a head start on the rest of the world when it comes to sodium-ion batteries but that also underscores the remarkable opportunity for countries like the U.S. to pave a path toward carving out a substantiable portion of the NIB market.
The NIB market is still in its infancy and remains wide open for the taking—but that is likely to change—and fast. With so many highly talented battery scientists and technologists in the U.S., it is only a matter of time before the U.S. becomes very competitive in the space too. The US Department of Energy clearly recognizes the significance of sodium-ion batteries as well and have announced multiple grants in the last couple of years to advance the development and commercialization of NIBs.
While there is ground to make up, businesses, leaders, scientists, and inventors in the U.S. are poised to play a decisive role in sodium-ion’s rise to the top of battery technology innovation. This race is also set up to converge with the growing passion and fervor of governments, communities, and people in supporting new and exciting ways to combat climate change. I look forward to participating in and experiencing the incredible work that lies in front of us as NIBs cement their place as a supreme battery technology to help lead our energy transition forward.
Dr. Bor Jang, Chief Science Officer & Board Chairman, Solidion Technology, Inc. co-founded Honeycomb Battery Company (HBC) in 2015 and has since served as its President. HBC was merged with Nubia Brand International (a SPAC) in February 2024 and the merged entity, renamed as Solidion Technology, Inc. began trading on NASDAQ on February 5, 2024. In addition, Dr. Jang co-founded Angstron Materials, Inc. (“AMI”) in 2007 and has since served as its Chairman. AMI is engaged in the development and commercialization of graphene processes and application technologies. Dr. Jang cofounded G3 in 2016 and has since served as its Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors, and G3 is the parent of several subsidiaries engaged in the development and commercialization of graphene and battery technologies, including HBC, AEC and AMI. Dr. Jang received his Master’s & Ph.D degrees in Materials Science from MIT. Dr. Jang was the former Dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Wright State University. He was a Fulbright Scholar and Visiting Professor (and an Overseas Fellow of the Churchill College) with the University of Cambridge (1991 – 1992) in the UK. Dr. Jang was elected as a fellow of the U.S. National Academy of Inventors (NAI) in 2019. Dr. Jang has more than 800 patents to his credit. Most notably, Dr. Jang filed the world’s first patent application on graphene in 2002. This patent was later recognized by Popular Mechanics magazine as one of the “15 Patents That Changed The World”. He can be reached at bor.jang@angstronmaterials.com.
