New data from RenewableUK reveals how pipeline of battery storage projects either in operation, consented, in the planning system or under development has grown two-thirds in a year.
The UK's battery storage pipeline has grown by over two-thirds over the past year, with 95.6GW of projects now either operational, under construction, consented, or in the planning stages.
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.
John Raymond Hanger
@johnrhanger
Battery power: Tesla's battery storage installations for 2023 more than doubled 2022 volume, up by 125%. The division's profit nearly quadrupled.
Reminder that Tesla is more than an EV company and benefits from global surge in battery storage to firm, integrate solar and wind.
The design of battery technologies with increasingly longer lifespans could help to meet the growing needs of the electronics and automotive industry. Lithium (Li) batteries are the most widely used rechargeable batteries worldwide. Thus, devising strategies that can increase their longevity could be far easier than designing entirely new batteries.
Li-metal batteries, batteries with a Li metal anode, are among the most promising next-generation battery designs. Nonetheless, the reactivity of Li metal has so far greatly limited their cycling stability, by impairing the formation of stable solid-electrolyte interphases (SEIs), ultimately resulting in shorter battery lifespans.
