There is international support for Sodium-ion battery technology. For instance, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has allocated $50 million over five years to establish the Low-cost Earth-abundant Na-ion Storage (LENS) consortium, led by Argonne National Laboratory.
Key Points:
- Consortium Composition: LENS includes six national laboratories – Argonne, Brookhaven, Lawrence Berkeley, Pacific Northwest, Sandia, and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory – and eight universities.
- Objective: Develop high-energy, long-lasting sodium-ion batteries using safe, abundant, and inexpensive materials to reduce U.S. dependence on critical elements like lithium, cobal and nickel.
- Significance: Sodium-ion technology offers a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to lithium-ion batteries, enhancing supply chain resilience and supporting the transition to electric vehicles and renewable energy storage.
- U.S. Advantage: The U.S. produces a substantial amount of the world’s sodium chloride, positioning it well to supply raw materials and drive innovation in sodium-ion technology.
- Industry Collaboration: An advisory board comprising established and emerging companies will provide industry perspectives, aiming to foster a U.S. ecosystem for sodium-ion batteries.
This initiative represents a significant step toward diversifying energy storage solutions and strengthening U.S. competitiveness in battery technology.
Read the entire Argonne National Laboratory article.