Sodium-ion batteries contain salt– a really typical substance discovered in salt– instead of lithium. Credit: ChalmersAs society shifts away from fossil fuels, the need for batteries is surging. Simultaneously, this rise is most likely to lead to a deficiency of lithium and cobalt, important components in widespread battery types. An alternative solution could be sodium-ion batteries, which primarily make use of table salt and biomass obtained from the forestry sector as their raw materials.Now, researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, show that these sodium-ion batteries have a comparable climate effect as their lithium-ion equivalents– without the threat of lacking raw products.”The products we utilize in the batteries of the future will be essential in order to have the ability to switch to renewable resource and a fossil-free vehicle fleet,” says Rickard Arvidsson, Associate Professor of Environmental Systems Analysis at Chalmers.According to the European Commissions Critical Raw Materials Act, the need for important raw battery products is expected to increase significantly as EU countries shift to sustainable energy systems and electrical vehicles. The green shift will also need more regional production of batteries and other new fossil-free innovations, and a steady supply of raw products is needed to fulfill demand. At the exact same time, such production carries a high risk of supply interruptions, due to the limited number of sources for basic materials.”Lithium-ion batteries are ending up being a dominant innovation in the world and they are much better for the climate than fossil-based technology is, specifically when it comes to carry. But lithium positions a traffic jam. You cant produce lithium-based batteries at the exact same rate as you want to produce electric vehicles, and the deposits run the risk of being diminished in the long term,” says Rickard Arvidsson. In addition to this, critical battery products, such as lithium and cobalt, are mostly mined in just a few locations on the planet, posing a threat to the supply.Sodium-ion batteries use promising technologyThe development of new battery innovations is moving quick in the mission for the next generation of sustainable energy storage– which need to ideally have a long life time, have a high energy density, and be simple to produce. The research team at Chalmers picked to look at sodium-ion batteries, which contain sodium– a really common compound found in typical salt chloride– rather of lithium. In a brand-new study, they have actually performed a so-called life process assessment of the batteries, where they have examined their total ecological and resource impact throughout raw material extraction and manufacturing.Rickard Arvidsson, Associate Professor, Department of Technology Economics and Management, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. Credit: Chalmers”We pertained to the conclusion that sodium-ion batteries are better than lithium-ion batteries in terms of influence on mineral resource deficiency, and comparable in regards to climate effect. Depending on which scenario you take a look at, they end up at in between 60 and just over 100 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents per kilowatt hour theoretical electrical energy storage capacity, which is lower than previously reported for this kind of sodium-ion battery. Its plainly a promising technology,” states Rickard Arvidsson.The scientists also identified a variety of measures with the possible to further decrease environment impact, such as establishing an environmentally better electrolyte, as it accounted for a large part of the batterys total impact.Green energy needs energy storageTodays sodium-ion batteries are currently anticipated to be used for fixed energy storage in the electrical energy grid, and with ongoing advancement, they will probably also be utilized in electrical vehicles in the future.”Energy storage is a prerequisite for the expansion of wind and solar power. Considered that the storage is done mainly with batteries, the concern is what those batteries will be made from? Increased need for lithium and cobalt could be an obstacle to this development,” states Rickard Arvidsson.The major benefit of the innovation is that the products in the sodium-ion batteries are plentiful and can be discovered all over the world. One electrode in the batteries– the cathode– has salt ions as a charge carrier, and the other electrode– the anode– consists of difficult carbon, which in one of the examples the Chalmers scientists have examined can be produced from biomass from the forest industry. In regards to production procedures and geopolitics, sodium-ion batteries are also an option that can accelerate the transition to a fossil-free society.”Batteries based upon abundant raw materials might minimize geopolitical risks and dependencies on particular areas, both for battery producers and countries,” says Rickard Arvidsson.More about the studyThe study is a prospective life cycle assessment of 2 different sodium-ion battery cells where the environmental and resource effect is calculated from cradle to gate, i.e. from raw material extraction to the manufacture of a battery cell. The practical system of the research study is 1 kWh theoretical electrical energy storage capacity at the cell level.Both kinds of battery cells are primarily based upon plentiful raw products. The anode is made up of tough carbon from either bio-based lignin or fossil basic materials, and the cathode is comprised of so-called “Prussian white” (including sodium, nitrogen, iron, and carbon). The electrolyte contains a sodium salt. The production is designed to correspond to a future, large-scale production. The actual production of the battery cell is based on todays large-scale production of lithium-ion batteries in gigafactories.Two various electrical power blends were tested, as well as 2 different types of so-called allocation techniques– that is, allowance of emissions and resources. One where the climate and resource impact is distributed between coproducts based upon mass, and one method where all effect is assigned to the main item (the sodium-ion battery and its materials and parts). Reference: “Prospective life process evaluation of sodium-ion batteries made from abundant components” by Sanna Wickerts, Rickard Arvidsson, Anders Nordelöf, Magdalena Svanström and Patrik Johansson, 13 November 2023, Journal of Industrial Ecology.DOI: 10.1111/ jiec.13452 The study was moneyed by the Swedish Energy Agency through the Battery Fund Program.
An alternative service could be sodium-ion batteries, which mainly make use of table salt and biomass obtained from the forestry sector as their raw materials.Now, researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, show that these sodium-ion batteries have an equivalent climate effect as their lithium-ion counterparts– without the risk of running out of raw products. Vital battery materials, such as lithium and cobalt, are mainly mined in simply a couple of locations in the world, presenting a risk to the supply.Sodium-ion batteries provide appealing technologyThe development of brand-new battery innovations is moving quickly in the quest for the next generation of sustainable energy storage– which should preferably have a long life time, have a high energy density, and be easy to produce. Its clearly a promising technology,” says Rickard Arvidsson.The researchers likewise identified a number of measures with the possible to even more minimize environment effect, such as establishing an ecologically much better electrolyte, as it accounted for a large part of the batterys total impact.Green energy needs energy storageTodays sodium-ion batteries are currently expected to be utilized for stationary energy storage in the electrical energy grid, and with continued advancement, they will most likely also be utilized in electric vehicles in the future.”Batteries based on abundant raw products might minimize geopolitical risks and dependencies on specific areas, both for battery producers and countries,” says Rickard Arvidsson.More about the studyThe study is a potential life cycle assessment of two different sodium-ion battery cells where the environmental and resource impact is calculated from cradle to gate, i.e. from raw material extraction to the manufacture of a battery cell. Recommendation: “Prospective life cycle evaluation of sodium-ion batteries made from abundant components” by Sanna Wickerts, Rickard Arvidsson, Anders Nordelöf, Magdalena Svanström and Patrik Johansson, 13 November 2023, Journal of Industrial Ecology.DOI: 10.1111/ jiec.13452 The research study was funded by the Swedish Energy Agency through the Battery Fund Program.