PNNL

With grid demand projected to double within the next four years due to rising consumer energy needs, there is an increasing urgency to develop sustainable energy storage solutions that can support the growing reliance on renewable power sources. 

Sodium-ion technology has gained international attention as a viable alternative to lithium-ion batteries for grid-scale applications. The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Electricity (OE), in collaboration with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), has long envisioned the sodium-ion battery as a cost-effective, sustainable solution for energy storage. The OE has invested funding to advance and commercialize the technology to meet the needs of a resilient, reliable, and affordable grid. 

The Sodium-ion Alliance for Grid Energy Storage (SAGES), led by PNNL, will focus on demonstrating high-performance, low-cost, safe sodium-ion batteries for grid applications. The four-year program will integrate the core capabilities of five national laboratories, three universities, and numerous industry partners to investigate sodium battery technologies for stationary applications under OE’s Energy Storage Program. 

Sodium, a sustainable solution for next-gen batteries 

Sodium-ion batteries are emerging as a promising solution for long-duration energy storage for real-world grid applications. Sodium is an abundant, widely available, and cost-effective element. Additionally, sodium-based batteries have high thermal stability, reducing the risk of overheating and fire, making them a practical option for widespread use. However, sodium-ion batteries have lower energy density and shorter lifespans compared to their lithium-ion counterparts—challenges the SAGES is seeking to overcome. 

“The formation of this alliance is exciting as it brings together some of the brightest minds to address the long-standing challenge of integrating renewable energy resources with sustainable batteries to power a carbon-neutral society,” said Xiaolin Li, SAGES director and PNNL materials scientist. “By focusing on sodium-ion battery technology, this collaboration has the potential to unlock safer, sustainable cost-effective energy storage solutions.” 

SAGES, GSL accelerate sodium-ion technology development 

The SAGES is one of the first missions of the Grid Storage Launchpad (GSL), a new, national capability located on the PNNL-Richland campus designed to accelerate the development of advanced battery technologies. This $75 million research facility, funded by OE, brings together all phases of the battery development and deployment cycle, ranging from fundamental materials and device prototyping to 100 kW-scale testing and validation. 

“PNNL’s extensive experience in energy storage, coupled with the capabilities of GSL, has positioned PNNL as a leader in sodium-ion battery research and innovation for grid applications. The Office of Electricity is excited to support this effort, which will bring together national labs, academia, and industry to drive forward affordable, safe, and scalable battery technologies that are essential for a sustainable energy future,” said Caitlin Callaghan, director of Storage Materials & Systems with OE. “The work of this amazing team will complement battery research across DOE, including for other applications, and amplify expertise across the DOE national laboratory complex.”

The alliance will conduct systematic characterization and simulation studies to understand failure mechanisms to bridge the knowledge gap between fundamental research and real-world battery performance. By focusing on key areas such as hard carbon anodes, low/zero-nickel cathodes, and high-performance electrolytes, the team aims to advance practical battery technology. The work will also include materials scale-up, fabrication, and testing of pouch cells to meet industry standards, all with the goal of pushing sodium-ion batteries toward commercial viability. 

Collaboration is key

Participating national labs include PNNL, Argonne National Laboratory, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories; academic partners include the University of Maryland, Penn State University, and Virginia Tech. Industry partners are also involved.

“LLNL is excited to be a part of the team supporting fundamental understanding and to provide significant characterization and simulation results,” said Jon Lee, senior scientist with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. “We can accelerate the development of cost-effective, sustainable energy storage solutions that will play a crucial role in the future of the energy grid.”

“Sandia will help evaluate the safety of sodium-ion batteries from the materials scale up to the cell level along the technology development process,” added Loraine Torres-Castro, a physicist and battery safety lead at Sandia National Laboratories. “Ensuring that the batteries not only perform efficiently but also meet the highest safety standards is critical for widespread adoption in real-world applications.”

The SAGES will host the 9th Annual International Conference on Sodium Batteries 2024, held November 11-14 at the PNNL-Richland campus. The conference is attracting global experts in battery technologies and expanding the alliance’s network.