Sodium-ion batteries (NIBs) are a promising next-generation alternative to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their lower cost, better safety characteristics, and similar power delivery characteristics. NIBs use sodium ions (Na+) as charge carriers instead of lithium ions. Sodium is widely available and exhibits similar chemistry to that of LIBs, making NIBs a versatile and economically viable option. NIBs are also more environmentally friendly than LIBs as they do not require cobalt, copper, or nickel, and more abundant iron-based materials work well in Na+ batteries. Several companies such as HiNa and CATL in China, Faradion in the United Kingdom, Tiamat in France, Northvolt in Sweden, and Natron Energy in the US, are close to achieving the commercialization of NIBs.
BIOANODE is a 3-month research project that aims to develop bio-based hard carbon anodes for sodium-ion batteries. The project focused on three key topics: Commercialization pre-study, IP landscape exploration and analysis, and feedstocks analysis. The study revealed that bio-based hard carbon anodes have the potential to meet the growing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly energy storage solutions due to their low cost and environmental friendliness. The IP landscape analysis revealed that there are no major patent barriers to the commercialization of bio-based hard carbon anodes. At the same time, a more thorough freedom-to-operate analysis is needed in a potential follow-up project. The feedstocks analysis revealed that bio-based feedstocks have the potential to be used in the production of hard carbon anodes for sodium-ion batteries. The specific feedstock should be specified in collaboration with a set industry partner. This is a significant finding as it could lead to the development of more sustainable and eco-friendly energy storage solutions.
In conclusion, BIOANODE's findings could lead to the development of more sustainable and eco-friendly energy storage solutions, and NIBs are a promising alternative to LIBs.
The commercialization efforts of Na-ion batteries have been evaluated. First the IP landscape has been thoroughly explored before various hard carbon feedstocks have been analyzed. The competitiveness of the different feedstocks have been compared and documented in the final report.