The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will invest 50 million dollars in the Low-cost Earth-abundant Na-ion Storage (LENS) consortium for a five-year period. Under the leadership of Argonne National Laboratory, several national laboratories and universities are working together to advance sodium-ion batteries. The goal of the program is to develop high-energy, long-life sodium-ion batteries from safe, abundant, and cost-effective materials. This effort aims to reduce the United Statesʼ dependence on limited and strategically important elements such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel used in lithium-ion batteries.
Research to improve battery performance
Sodium-ion batteries store less energy per weight and volume, resulting in a shorter range. Therefore, researchers aim to discover new electrode materials, improve electrolytes, and develop battery cells which overcome these limitations. An advisory board of established and emerging companies will provide industrial perspectives and promote a national ecosystem for sodium-ion batteries. The LENS consortium consists of 14 partners, including eight institutions such as the University of California San Diego and Virginia Tech.
