Using sodium to develop rechargeable batteries may bolster the EU’s green ambitions

A inexperienced industrial future for Europe could rely on a component that’s a part of a family staple: desk salt. Dr. John Abou-Rjeily, a researcher at Tiamat Vitality in France, is utilizing sodium to develop rechargeable batteries. Sodium is part of sodium chloride, an ionic compound that’s the technical title for bizarre salt.

The concept behind sodium-ion batteries is to scale back Europe’s reliance on the lithium-ion ones that energy the whole lot from toothbrushes and cellphones to mopeds and vehicles.

At this time’s batteries embrace supplies resembling lithium, nickel and cobalt which are each scarce and poisonous, whereas sodium is likely one of the most plentiful components on Earth.

“Sodium-ion batteries are primarily based on extra plentiful and safer supplies than lithium-ion batteries,” mentioned Abou-Rjeily. “There’s not enough lithium ions and cobalt and nickel to meet everyone’s needs.”

He’s a analysis and improvement engineer at Tiamat, which designs and manufactures sodium-ion batteries.

Abou-Rjeily led a analysis venture to develop sodium-ion batteries which have business attraction and might function a brand new basis for European manufacturing.

Referred to as NAIMAthe venture ran from December 2019 by means of Could 2023. It featured firms, research institutions and universities in Bulgaria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

Battery cost

Batteries are central to Europe’s drive to switch fossil fuels with renewable-energy sources resembling wind and solar power. Extra clean energy in Europe requires new storage capability that batteries can present.

The European battery market could possibly be value as much as €250 billion a year as of 2025. Europe goals to extend its share of world battery-cell manufacturing to as excessive as 25% this decade from 3% in 2018, chipping away at Asia’s 85% dominance.

The analysis covers all segments of the provision chain—from entry to uncooked supplies wanted to make batteries and the infrastructure required for storing power to “smart grids” that mechanically cost autos when energy is least expensive and battery designs that guarantee recycling.

Lithium-ion batteries can retailer plenty of power in a small area, making them winners for good telephones and electrical vehicles. Sodium-ion batteries are barely greater and doubtlessly cheaper, making them candidates for storing power in locations resembling houses, energy instruments and small autos.

French connection

Abou-Rjeily, a educated chemist from Lebanon, moved to France in 2016 to pursue an curiosity in environmental sustainability.

He’s at dwelling with Tiamat, whose sodium-ion batteries exclude lithium, cobalt and copper and largely keep away from nickel too. The corporate is a by-product from the French Nationwide Heart for Scientific Analysis, or CNRS, which was among the many NAIMA members.

Lithium, cobalt, copper and nickel are on an EU list of vital uncooked supplies, highlighting issues in Europe about reliance on international suppliers and provide squeezes.

For instance, in the case of lithium-ion batteries worldwide, China manufactured virtually 80% of them in 2021.

Moreover, most world manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries is predicted to go to the automotive business.

Tiamat plans in 2026 to open a gigafactory within the French metropolis of Amiens to provide sodium-ion batteries appropriate initially for tools resembling energy instruments, in line with Abou-Rjeily.

He mentioned NAIMA helped advance the corporate’s battery know-how.

The venture additionally helped companions transfer ahead with a kind of sodium-ion battery for renewable-energy storage. This sort of battery may additionally sooner or later be appropriate for some vehicles.

Whereas it would not ever problem the 500-kilometer capability of lithium-ion batteries, this sodium-ion kind could possibly be extra aggressive for smaller stretches, in line with Abou-Rjeily.

“They could be cheaper for short and medium driving distances,” he mentioned.

Residence base

An power hyperlink between vehicles and houses by means of sodium-ion batteries is a imaginative and prescient of Dr. Magdalena Graczyk-Zajac, a visiting professor on the Technical College Darmstadt in Germany.

Additionally an electrochemist on the German power firm EnBW, she is concerned in a venture to develop a sodium-ion battery for houses. Referred to as SIMBAthe venture is because of wrap up in June 2024 after three and a half years.

Graczyk-Zajac paints a future the place power captured by photovoltaic panels on houses is saved in a chargeable family sodium-ion battery. The battery would then energy the houses and cost the inhabitants’ electrical autos.

Graczyk-Zajac mentioned such a state of affairs would imply a giant lower in transportation prices.

“You could be driving your car for free for eight to nine months of the year,” she mentioned.

Family features

Whereas sodium-ion and lithium-ion batteries work in an identical method, sodium is a bigger ion than lithium. That is one purpose {that a} sodium-ion battery takes up somewhat extra space.

For dwelling storage, such a battery could be positioned underground or in a storage, so a barely bigger battery would not matter a lot, in line with Graczyk-Zajac.

SIMBA, which entails virtually 20 analysis institutes, universities and firms from throughout Europe, has put collectively some important parts of a house sodium-ion battery for laboratory testing.

One half, the anode, is produced from arduous carbon, which may be manufactured from wooden or biowaste. One other—the cathode—may be product of a fabric known as Prussian white.

Whereas lithium-ion cathodes incessantly include cobalt, this Prussian white cathode comprises iron, which is a extra plentiful and cheaper steel.

This cathode was developed by Altris, a by-product in 2017 from Uppsala College in Sweden—one of many SIMBA members.

Altris made headlines in November 2023 when its business associate, Sweden-based Northvolt, announced that it will make batteries in Europe with the cathode.

Usually, sodium-ion batteries promise households in Europe the possibility for cheaper and cleaner power.

The batteries additionally supply the prospect of monetary features by means of the storage after which both sale of spare electrical energy to the grid when dwelling manufacturing is increased than wanted or later use within the dwelling.

Graczyk-Zajac recommends the later-use possibility. “A householder would save more money by just keeping that energy,” she mentioned.