Is Sodium the New Lithium? How Table Salt Might Save the Energy Storage Industry

Lithium-ion batteries are currently the dominant battery type for grid- and customer-based energy storage, electric vehicles, and consumer goods such as cell phones and laptops. However, the global supply of lithium is constrained, and all of it will soon be needed for the fast-growing electric vehicle market. Sodium-ion batteries have emerged as a likely substitute for stationary battery applications, both on the grid and behind the meter. This webinar explored the potential applications, benefits, and challenges for sodium-ion batteries. Guest speakers Alex Bates and Ramesh Koripella of Sandia National Labs gave an overview of sodium-ion battery technologies and share information about their potential applications and safety considerations. We also heard from Jack Pouchet of Natron Energy, a U.S. based sodium-ion battery manufacturer, who will share his perspective on the markets and industrial use cases for sodium-ion batteries. Dr. Imre Gyuk, Chief Scientist of Energy Storage Research at the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Electricity, made introductory remarks.

This webinar is a presentation of the Energy Storage Technology Advancement Partnership (ESTAP). ESTAP is a federal-state funding and information sharing project that aims to accelerate the deployment of electrical energy storage technologies in the U.S. ESTAP is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity, managed by Sandia National Laboratories, and administered by the Clean Energy States Alliance.