https://newatlas.com/energy/natron-sodium-ion-battery-production-startt/ * SUBSCRIBE AD-FREE * LOG IN * HOME * LIFESTYLE + Health & Wellbeing + Outdoors + Tiny Houses + Architecture + Around the Home + Good Thinking + Holiday Destinations + View all LIFESTYLE categories + Health & Wellbeing + Outdoors + Tiny Houses + Architecture + Around the Home + Good Thinking + Holiday Destinations + View all LIFESTYLE categories * SCIENCE + Energy + Medical + Space + Materials + Biology + Environment + Physics + View all SCIENCE categories + Energy + Medical + Space + Materials + Biology + Environment + Physics + View all SCIENCE categories * TECHNOLOGY + Photography + Military + Mobile Technology + Games + Drones + Home Entertainment + Deals + View all TECHNOLOGY categories + Photography + Military + Mobile Technology + Games + Drones + Home Entertainment + Deals + View all TECHNOLOGY categories * TRANSPORT + Automotive + Aircraft + Bicycles + Motorcycles + Marine + Urban Transport + View all TRANSPORT categories + Automotive + Aircraft + Bicycles + Motorcycles + Marine + Urban Transport + View all TRANSPORT categories (c) 2024 New Atlas New Atlas logo Menu * HOME * LIFESTYLE + Health & Wellbeing + Outdoors + Tiny Houses + Architecture + Around the Home + Good Thinking + Holiday Destinations + View all LIFESTYLE categories * SCIENCE + Energy + Medical + Space + Materials + Biology + Environment + Physics + View all SCIENCE categories * TECHNOLOGY + Photography + Military + Mobile Technology + Games + Drones + Home Entertainment + Deals + View all TECHNOLOGY categories * TRANSPORT + Automotive + Aircraft + Bicycles + Motorcycles + Marine + Urban Transport + View all TRANSPORT categories * SUBSCRIBE AD-FREE * LOG IN Show Search [ ]Search Query Submit Search Energy Lithium-free sodium batteries exit the lab and enter US production By C.C. Weiss May 02, 2024 * Facebook * Twitter * Flipboard * LinkedIn Inline image / # Lithium-free sodium batteries exit the lab and enter US production Blue has become Natron Energy's signature color owing to the patented Prussian Blue electrons it uses for the fast, frequent transfer of sodium ions that underpin its claims of 10 times lithium-ion's cycling speeds and a 50,000-cycle lifespan Blue has become Natron Energy's signature color owing to the patented Prussian Blue electrons it uses for the fast, frequent transfer of sodium ions that underpin its claims of 10 times lithium-ion's cycling speeds and a 50,000-cycle lifespan Natron Energy View 3 Images 1/3 Blue has become Natron Energy's signature color owing to the patented Prussian Blue electrons it uses for the fast, frequent transfer of sodium ions that underpin its claims of 10 times lithium-ion's cycling speeds and a 50,000-cycle lifespan Natron Energy 2/3 Natron has begun production at its Holland, Michigan facility Natron Energy 3/3 Natron is targeting industrial backup power applications with. products like the BlueRack 250 battery cabinet, designed to scale from a kilowatt to multi megawatts Natron Energy [icon-mouse-sc] View gallery - 3 images Two years ago, sodium-ion battery pioneer Natron Energy was busy preparing its specially formulated sodium batteries for mass production. The company slipped a little past its 2023 kickoff plans, but it didn't fall too far behind as far as mass battery production goes. It officially commenced production of its rapid-charging, long-life lithium-free sodium batteries this week, bringing to market an intriguing new alternative in the energy storage game. Not only is sodium somewhere between 500 to 1,000 times more abundant than lithium on the planet we call Earth, sourcing it doesn't necessitate the same type of earth-scarring extraction. Even moving beyond the sodium vs lithium surname comparison, Natron says its sodium-ion batteries are made entirely from abundantly available commodity materials that also include aluminum, iron and manganese. Furthermore, the materials for Natron's sodium-ion chemistry can be procured through a reliable US-based domestic supply chain free from geopolitical disruption. The same cannot be said for common lithium-ion materials like cobalt and nickel. Sodium-ion tech has received heightened interest in recent years as a more reliable, potentially cheaper energy storage medium. While its energy density lags behind lithium-ion, advantages such as faster cycling, longer lifespan and safer, non-flammable end use have made sodium-ion an attractive alternative, especially for stationary uses like data center and EV charger backup storage. Founded in 2013, Natron has been one of the pioneers in this new wave of sodium-ion research and innovation. And while most sodium-ion designs remain in the laboratory, Natron has switched on one of the first major production operations globally. It celebrated the official production kick-off earlier this week with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its Holland, Michigan manufacturing facility, calling it the first-ever commercial-scale production of sodium-ion batteries in the US. "Sodium-ion batteries offer a unique alternative to lithium-ion, with higher power, faster recharge, longer lifecycle and a completely safe and stable chemistry," Natron founder and co-CEO Colin Wessells said at the event. "The electrification of our economy is dependent on the development and production of new, innovative energy storage solutions. We at Natron are proud to deliver such a battery without the use of conflict minerals or materials with questionable environmental impacts." Natron has begun production at its Holland, Michigan facility Natron Energy Natron says its batteries charge and discharge at rates 10 times faster than lithium-ion, a level of immediate charge/discharge capability that makes the batteries a prime contender for the ups and downs of backup power storage. Also helping in that use case is an estimated lifespan of 50,000 cycles. We haven't seen a weight-based energy density figure from Natron itself, but a 2022 article from Chemical & Engineering News put its sodium-ion batteries at 70 Wh/kg, around the very bottom of the sodium-ion energy density scale. That aligns well with the company's stationary-only business plan, as sodium-ion batteries being pursued for potential mobility use have more than double that density. CATL showed a 160 Wh/kg sodium-ion battery in 2021 and has plans to increase that density over 200 Wh/kg to better meet the needs of electric vehicles. Natron's plans call for the Holland facility to crank production up to 600 megawatts annually at full tilt, serving as a model for future gigawatt-scale facilities. In the two years since we last looked at Natron's plans, AI has grown a whole lot more power-hungry so it's not surprising the company's initial target is AI data storage centers, where it's fast-cycling batteries could become an essential power management tool. It plans to begin the first deliveries in June. Natron intends to expand its focus to other industrial power markets in the future, mentioning EV fast-charging and telecommunications as targets. Source: Natron View gallery - 3 images Tags EnergySodium batteryBattery TechnologyEnergyBatteries * Facebook * Twitter * Flipboard * LinkedIn 10 comments C.C. Weiss C.C. Weiss Chris joined the New Atlas team in 2011 and now serves as the automotive and campers editor, traveling extensively to gather the latest news on cars, outdoor sports gear and other innovations designed to help people experience and enjoy the greater world around them. Most Viewed * The Manta ray dwarfs a a small work boat behind it Military DARPA's massive Manta Ray robotic sub hits the sea * RheEnergise's system uses a super-dense fluid instead of water Energy Advanced 'high-density waterless hydro' energy plant gets green light * The Ti EDC [everyday carry] Wrench is currently on Kickstarter Good Thinking Titanium gadget throws a monkey wrench into the world of mini multitools Load More 10 comments Sign in to post a comment. Please keep comments to less than 150 words. No abusive material or spam will be published. clay May 3, 2024 05:25 AM It's a great battery tech, but it needs to me **accessible** to normal people, not just datacenter builders and operators... not just EV recharging companies. There are a zillion Solar and backup DIYers and small businesses out there. Make this directly accessible to them. paul314 May 3, 2024 06:23 AM I want this for my UPS's *now*. Because the current options are lead-acid, which has the potential toxic issue and needs replacement every couple of years, and lithium, which might only need replacement every 5 years but have to be sized about 3x as big to cover the discharge rate for anything but the tiniest computers. (Of course, the initial price tag of sodium would probably put me off even if it's cheaper in the long run.) vince May 3, 2024 08:10 AM IF they perfect upwards of 250 Wh/kg suitable for LiON replacement in EV's then a car will be a lifetime purchase. Buy one for 100 years of usage so take out a massive loan at age 16 and buy what you can dream of and keep it for life. Imagine the depreciation would be almost NIL. DaaBoss May 3, 2024 08:36 AM Referencing the relative energy density ranges of lithium based storage devices and technology would help most of us that don't follow the nuances of this technology. Stating the approximate pricing model comparisons would also help. For instance, I just read yesterday that the starting price for EV replacements, required after about 8 years, started at about $15,000. Clearly at those prices, only early adopters and other subsidized solutions (by other people's money) will ever be economically feasible. TechGazer May 3, 2024 08:55 AM Like paul314, I'd like one of these batteries to replace my small-solar lead-acid ones that will need replacing sometime. The problem is that offering such a product for individuals at a reasonable price means that big customers will try to scoop them up. Raspberry Pi computers have been hard to get, since commercial customers use methods to pretend to be individuals, buying up whatever is available. I suppose we'll have to wait for more production capacity. moreover May 3, 2024 09:11 AM I've been holding off of a home battery for my solar PV so far despite big incentives, and the reason is the fast pace of non lithium battery development. Since weight is not a big factor for home batteries, especially since many now use modular designs, I'd rather wait for something that checks the boxes on safety and cycle life. minivini May 3, 2024 09:12 AM A little disappointed in the weight prospect, but very excited by the overall potential advantages! spyinthesky May 3, 2024 12:12 PM I seem to have read about early EV usage being combining them with Lithium batteries so you get the best of both worlds or at least a worthwhile compromise between cost, power, range and speedy recharging. guzmanchinky May 3, 2024 01:04 PM I love hearing about new battery tech moving the world forward. Good riddance to (most) fossil fuels! DaveWesely May 3, 2024 01:27 PM No, daaboss, that is EV misinformation. I've got a 9 year old EV with a battery capacity easily over 80%. Lead acid car batteries last between 3 and 7 years. By that metric, a lithium-ion LiFePo battery used under the same conditions should last between 18 and 28 years. (https://battlebornbatteries.com/ how-long-do-lithium-ion-batteries-last/). EV lithium batteries die slowly, unlike a gas engine. The batteries will normally outlast the car body, but if they don't, you would replace the car, not the battery. The battery replacement expense is irrelevant. Saving comment... [ ] Post New Atlas logo GET OUR NEWSLETTER Over 220,000 people receive our email newsletter. Get your daily dose of extraordinary ideas! Register * HOME + SUBSCRIBE + FEATURES + REVIEWS + ABOUT + ADVERTISE + TERMS + PRIVACY + CONTACT + RSS + FAQ * LIFESTYLE + 20th Anniversary + Architecture + Around the Home + Children + Collectibles + Good Thinking + Health & Wellbeing + Holiday Destinations + Outdoors + Pets + Remarkable People + Tiny Houses * SCIENCE + Biology + Electronics + Energy + Environment + Materials + Medical + Physics + Quantum Computing + Space * TECHNOLOGY + 3D Printing + Computers + Deals + Photography + Drones + Games + Home Entertainment + Laptops + Military + Mobile Technology + Music + Robotics + Smartwatches + Telecommunications + Wearable Electronics + Virtual Reality * TRANSPORT + Aircraft + Automotive + Bicycles + Marine + Motorcycles + Urban Transport Follow Us * twitter * instagram * pinterest * flipboard * facebook * linkedin (c) 2024 New Atlas