Is Lithium-ion the future of utility scale BESS? Na, Sodium-ion may also play a crucial role
With the global shift towards renewable energy, lithium-ion chemistry has proven to be a critical and dominant force in Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) adoption. However, with growing interest and competition in storage, the emergence of alternative chemistries like sodium-ion presents new opportunities which could reshape the future of energy storage.
A key advantage of sodium-ion technology lies in its abundance and accessibility. Sodium is approximately a thousand times more abundant than lithium, which translates to potentially significant cost reductions in raw material procurement. When produced in scale, some reports that sodium-ion cells could be up to 20-30% cheaper than LFP batteries, a lithium chemistry subset which currently experiences increased adoption in BESS.
Concerning performance, sodium-ion batteries have also shown promising advancement. Its gravimetric energy density was noted to range from 75-160 Wh/kg, with manufacturers like CATL demonstrating 160 Wh/kg capabilities in systems under development. Furthermore, future projections for sodium technology suggest there is a potential 200 Wh/kg, potentially rivalling the performance of lithium chemistry’s 126–285 Wh/kg. Moreover, where sodium-ion batteries offer distinct advantages for utility-scale BESS applications is its ability to demonstrate superior safety characteristics. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion-based cells are known to be capable of discharging to zero volts, enabling safer transportation, storage, and operation.
Figure 1: General comparison of Lithium-ion and Sodium-ion chemistry, highlighting their abundance, technological advantages, and market forecast.
However, challenges remain in the widespread adoption of sodium-ion technology as its lifecycle was noted to range from 100 to 1,000 cycles, though some research groups achieved over 5000 cycles in their work – providing some insight into the technology’s potential. In addition to its current technical limitations, it is also worth noting that sodium-ion’s current economic advantage is limited as lithium prices continue to decrease, making them less cost-effective in the current storage market.
Despite these challenges, the market outlook suggests that sodium-ion and lithium-ion will have a complementary relationship. Studies project that while lithium-ion batteries will its lead, delivering up to 6.5 TWh of capacity by 2030, encompassing transportation and storage, with sodium-ion forecasted to capture approximately 40 GWh, with the potential for an additional 100 GWh depending on market success by 2025.
In conclusion, while lithium-ion batteries will likely maintain their position in storage energy storage applications, sodium-ion technology demonstrates strong potential for utility-scale BESS. Its potential cost advantages, improved safety characteristics, and advancing technical capabilities position itself as a promising component in the future energy storage landscape. Its success will depend on its and lithium-ion’s technological advancement, the development of the supply chain, and ultimately the evolution of cost associated with such technologies.
Written by Nikko Talplacido