IN SUMMARY
Is sodium abundance enough to make sodium-ion batteries sustainable?
Is sodium abundance enough to make sodium-ion batteries sustainable?
Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are attracting attention as a possible answer to lithium scarcity and price volatility. Sodium makes up 23,600 ppm of the earth's crust against just 20 ppm for lithium, and sodium hydroxide costs a fraction of lithium hydroxide. But abundance and low cost do not automatically translate into a lower environmental footprint. Minviro assessed five sodium-ion chemistries against lithium-ion NMC and LFP using life cycle assessment, looking beyond climate change to resource use and acidification, to test whether the "sustainable by default" assumption holds.
Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are attracting attention as a possible answer to lithium scarcity and price volatility. Sodium makes up 23,600 ppm of the earth's crust against just 20 ppm for lithium, and sodium hydroxide costs a fraction of lithium hydroxide. But abundance and low cost do not automatically translate into a lower environmental footprint. Minviro assessed five sodium-ion chemistries against lithium-ion NMC and LFP using life cycle assessment, looking beyond climate change to resource use and acidification, to test whether the "sustainable by default" assumption holds.
Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are attracting attention as a possible answer to lithium scarcity and price volatility. Sodium makes up 23,600 ppm of the earth's crust against just 20 ppm for lithium, and sodium hydroxide costs a fraction of lithium hydroxide. But abundance and low cost do not automatically translate into a lower environmental footprint. Minviro assessed five sodium-ion chemistries against lithium-ion NMC and LFP using life cycle assessment, looking beyond climate change to resource use and acidification, to test whether the "sustainable by default" assumption holds.
Abundance does not equal sustainability. Sodium-ion batteries do not consistently outperform lithium-ion on climate change. Their footprint depends heavily on the specific cathode chemistry, with cobalt-containing and Prussian blue variants performing worst.
Abundance does not equal sustainability. Sodium-ion batteries do not consistently outperform lithium-ion on climate change. Their footprint depends heavily on the specific cathode chemistry, with cobalt-containing and Prussian blue variants performing worst.
Abundance does not equal sustainability. Sodium-ion batteries do not consistently outperform lithium-ion on climate change. Their footprint depends heavily on the specific cathode chemistry, with cobalt-containing and Prussian blue variants performing worst.
Chemistry is everything. Cobalt-free layered oxide sodium-ion cells perform comparably to LFP, while cobalt and polyanionic chemistries exceed both LFP and NMC. The electrolyte (NaPF6) and cathode are the dominant contributors.
Chemistry is everything. Cobalt-free layered oxide sodium-ion cells perform comparably to LFP, while cobalt and polyanionic chemistries exceed both LFP and NMC. The electrolyte (NaPF6) and cathode are the dominant contributors.
Chemistry is everything. Cobalt-free layered oxide sodium-ion cells perform comparably to LFP, while cobalt and polyanionic chemistries exceed both LFP and NMC. The electrolyte (NaPF6) and cathode are the dominant contributors.
Cycle life changes the comparison. Measured over a usable lifetime rather than a single kWh, sodium-ion and LFP cells, which can cycle 2,000 times or more, tend to carry lower impacts than NMC, which cycles fewer times.
Cycle life changes the comparison. Measured over a usable lifetime rather than a single kWh, sodium-ion and LFP cells, which can cycle 2,000 times or more, tend to carry lower impacts than NMC, which cycles fewer times.
Cycle life changes the comparison. Measured over a usable lifetime rather than a single kWh, sodium-ion and LFP cells, which can cycle 2,000 times or more, tend to carry lower impacts than NMC, which cycles fewer times.
