The costs associated with different battery types vary significantly based on chemistry, capacity, and application. Lithium-ion batteries, while initially more expensive, often provide lower total cost of ownership over time due to their longer lifespan and efficiency.
Could a low-cost battery reduce the cost of a decarbonised economy?
Researchers are hoping that a new, low-cost battery which holds four times the energy capacity of lithium-ion batteries and is far cheaper to produce will significantly reduce the cost of transitioning to a decarbonised economy. The battery has a longer life span compared to previous sodium-sulphur batteries. Pixabay.
Do projected cost reductions for battery storage vary over time?
The suite of publications demonstrates wide variation in projected cost reductions for battery storage over time. Figure ES-1 shows the suite of projected cost reductions (on a normalized basis) collected from the literature (shown in gray) as well as the low, mid, and high cost projections developed in this work (shown in black).
Figure ES-2 shows the overall capital cost for a 4-hour battery system based on those projections, with storage costs of $245/kWh, $326/kWh, and $403/kWh in 2030 and $159/kWh, $226/kWh, and $348/kWh in 2050.
Additionally, sodium is about 50 times cheaper than lithium, making it an attractive option for large-scale applications. One of the main attractions of sodium-ion batteries is their cost-effectiveness. The abundance of sodium contributes to lower production costs, paving the way for more affordable energy storage solutions.
Are Na-S batteries better than lithium-ion batteries?
The researchers say the Na-S battery is also a more energy dense and less toxic alternative to lithium-ion batteries, which, while used extensively in electronic devices and for energy storage, are expensive to manufacture and recycle.
Can a sodium battery save money?
“Our sodium battery has the potential to dramatically reduce costs while providing four times as much storage capacity. This is a significant breakthrough for renewable energy development which, although reduces costs in the long term, has had several financial barriers to entry,” said lead researcher Dr Zhao.