May 17, 2024: A presentation by Tim Hotz, principal at Roland Berger, at this week’s AABC meetings, highlighted — among many other salient points — the growing role that sodium ion batteries could play in Europe’s future energy storage market.

Put in the context of a huge growth in renewable energy and usage — solar, wind and electricity capacity is set to grow three times between 2020 and 2040 and EV sales set to rise to 75 million — sodium ion batteries are predicted to come to the fore this decade, according to Hotz.

Both lithium ion phosphate and Na ion batteries are expected to dominate energy storage. Each offers high cycle stability and high safety — however, Na ion has a lower energy density and is generally cheaper. (It also has fewer problems in terms of its availability.)

One key takeaway for Batteries International from this fascinating presentation was with the links between the cost of lithium hydroxide and sodium ion usage.

At a threshold of $18-$22 per kilo of LCE, sodium ion becomes economically viable, below that lithium ion phosphate batteries will dominate.

Given Roland Berger expects lithium prices to breach $22/kg at the end of the decade a surge in sodium ion usage and deployment is definitely on the cards.