Battery technology is advancing quickly to balance cost, efficiency, and sustainability. A new partnership between two major energy companies is now bringing sodium-ion storage to the grid scale. The solution is capable of supplying gigawatt-hours of energy.
According to Electrek, Peak Energy inked a deal with Jupiter Power worth over $500 million to supply up to 4.74 GWh of sodium-ion batteries between 2027 and 2030. The first deployment in 2027 would have 720 MWh of storage and would be the world's largest battery system.
"Deploying the world's largest sodium-ion energy storage system with one of the nation's top independent power producers proves that sodium is ready for today and will dominate the future," Peak Energy CEO and co-founder Landon Mossburg said in a press statement.
Compared to lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries require less maintenance and degrade less over time. Although they can't store as much energy as lithium-ion setups, their passive cooling system eliminates the need for other components. This means fewer moving parts, less maintenance, and lower safety risks.
Sodium also doesn't require as much mining of rare metals, making it a greener storage solution.
Sodium is about 1,000 times more abundant than lithium. Its crustal abundance is 24,000 ppm compared to lithium's 20 ppm, according to Physics Magazine. This greater availability translates to more stable prices over time.
A grid-scale sodium-ion system can store energy from renewable sources like solar and wind. The system can then release the energy when demand is high or generation is low. This stabilizes the grid and makes renewable energy more accessible, reducing reliance on dirty energy and lowering energy costs for consumers.
Sodium-ion's technology evolution could lead to more affordable battery solutions for homes, especially those using solar panels and electric vehicles. Households that haven't switched to solar and electric have more options to make their homes cleaner and greener.
On a broader scale, this next-gen green tech benefits everyone from individual consumers to Mother Earth. It's also a good sign to install solar panels at home or sign up for community solar.
One commenter on the article pointed out: "Guaranteed large-scale demand for sodium-ion batteries will help accelerate adoption in EVs as it will provide scale to the supply chain."
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Another commenter said, "This is awesome. Hopefully, the start of very cheap, easy-to-source battery storage."
"Future is bright!" a third person exclaimed.
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