Sodium-ion Battery for Residential Energy Storage Deployment

Project overview

Around the globe, lithium-ion batteries play a crucial role in storing energy, from the grand scale of utility systems like the Tesla Megapack to the cozy corners of homes with the Tesla Powerwall. However, as we look toward the future of global electrification beyond 2030, concerns emerge about the sustained availability of lithium. To tackle this challenge, there's a concerted effort to pioneer sodium-ion battery technology.

When it comes to residential energy storage, the landscape is still in its early stages. To address these challenges, this study partners with industry leader Faradion, to explore the complexities of using small pouch-type cells to craft electrolytes that align with the demands of Na-ion cells.

Key project details

Principal investigator	Jeff Dahn, professor, Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University
Co-principal investigators	Lukas Swan, professor, Mechanical Engineering, Dalhousie University
Research collaborators	Karim Zaghib, professor, Chemical and Materials Engineering and CEO of Volt-Age, Concordia University; Chongyin Yang, assistant professor and Tesla Canada Chair, Dalhousie University; Michael Metzger, assistant professor, Physics & Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University; Ruth Sayers, director of Technology, Faradion; Chris Wright, Faradion; Sunny Hy, Tesla
Non-academic partners	Tesla, Faradion
Research Keywords	Energy storage, renewable energy, sodium-ion battery, off-grid, peak shaving, backup power, electricity resiliency, community energy storage
Budget	Cash: $200,000 In-Kind: $190,000

Research focus

A detailed 3D model visualization of an urban area with various layers indicating different aspects of the built environment. The image shows a software interface with main layers and services listed on the left side, including options for 'Built Environment', 'Transport', 'Energy', 'Waste' and 'Ecosystem'.

Sodium-ion advancements

This research on Sodium-ion batteries addresses supply constraints and cost factors, making battery energy storage more inclusive and accessible for everyone. Ultimately, when paired with low-cost solar energy, it will represent a techno economically viable pathway to creating decarbonized, resilient communities.

A detailed 3D model visualization of an urban area with various layers indicating different aspects of the built environment. It features a services menu with options such as 'Building Info', 'Energy Demand' and 'Network Solution'.

Industry collaboration

One of the main focuses of this project is bridging the gap between academia and industry. The project collaborates closely with the industry and will build on the existing partnership between Dalhousie and Tesla, where substantial work is already underway on Sodium-ion battery technology. Additionally, it aims to establish a new partnership between Dalhousie and Faradion, the leading company globally dedicated to Na-ion batteries.