Reading Time: 2 minutes

Both sodium-ion batteries and lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable batteries that store and release electrical energy. Even though similarities are shared by both of them, key differences are also present.

Sodium-ion batteries use sodium ions as the composition material, whereas lithium-ion batteries use lithium ions as the charge carrier.

The energy density in lithium-ion batteries is higher than that in sodium-ion batteries, which means lithium-ion batteries can store more energy per unit mass or volume. The life cycle is shorter for sodium-ion batteries, leading to a quicker degradation possibility with repeated charge-discharge cycles.

Sodium is more abundant and less costly than lithium; hence, sodium-ion batteries are more cost-effective than lithium-ion batteries.

Sodium-ion batteries operate at higher voltages, leading to safety challenges such as increased risks of short circuits and thermal runaway reactions.

Compared to the well-known applications of lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries are still under development and have not yet reached the same level of commercialization. Sodium-ion batteries, due to their potential, can find use in stationary energy storage systems, large-scale renewable energy integration, and other cost-sensitive applications.

Even though lithium-ion batteries are dominating the rechargeable battery technology market, sodium-ion batteries have a higher potential as a cost-effective alternative for specific applications where energy density is not a primary concern.

However, with ongoing development and research methods, improvements in the performance, cycle life, and safety of sodium-ion batteries can make them a more competitive solution in the future with lithium-ion batteries.

The benefits of sodium-ion batteries:-

• Sodium is more abundant and widely available than lithium. The sodium-ion batteries are potentially less expensive to produce than lithium-ion batteries. The lower cost of sodium-ion batteries could make them more accessible for large-scale applications, such as grid energy storage or renewable energy integration.
• Sodium-ion batteries are considered more environmentally friendly than lithium-ion batteries due to the higher abundance of sodium and its lower environmental impact.
• Sodium-ion batteries got better safety characteristics compared to lithium-ion batteries. Sodium-ion battery operates at a higher voltage with more stability. The safety features are contributed to the lower risk of thermal runaway reactions and short circuits, especially relevant for large-scale energy storage applications.  
• Sodium-ion batteries are compatible with some of the existing infrastructure designers for lithium-ion batteries. Due to similar electrochemical characteristics, sodium-ion batteries can be adapted to existing manufacturing facilities, charging infrastructure, and battery management systems with relatively few modifications.
• Sodium-ion batteries find particular suitability for stationary energy storage applications, such as grid-level storage or renewable energy integration. The applications prioritize cost-effectiveness, safety, and longevity over high energy density. It got a lower cost and the potential for a longer life cycle for large-scale energy storage projects.

Source: GEP, Sodium-ion vs lithium-ion, CleanTechnica