Revolution in Bremen: Sodium batteries charge electric cars sustainably!

Revolution in Bremen: Sodium batteries charge electric cars sustainably!

An interesting milestone in the energy transition was reached in Bremen: the first battery storage system in Europe that uses sodium-ion technology has officially been put into operation. The Bremen company Solares, together with Phenogy, has developed an innovative container that serves as a power source for electric cars. This container, called Phenogy 1.0, is not only connected to a solar system, but can also provide around 20 charges for an average electric car. What an exciting development!

The sodium-ion-based technology scores with a high level of safety and cost-efficiency as well as a service life of at least ten years. This makes them an attractive alternative to the traditional lithium-ion batteries that currently dominate the market. The advantages of sodium-ion batteries could be noticeable: They are based on abundant raw materials such as sodium, which can be found in seawater and salt deposits. This not only makes the supply of raw materials cheaper, but also geopolitically less risky. As described at Techzeitgeist, sodium-ion batteries could reach around 30% of the stationary battery market by 2030.

The highlight: Flexible and modular

Another notable point is the flexibility of the new system. The storage can be enlarged or reduced in a modular manner and is therefore also suitable for apartment buildings. This adaptability ensures that even large industrial parks, neighborhoods and public institutions can benefit from the technology. What's particularly exciting is that these energy storage devices could even function as an emergency power supply for hospitals and data centers. The installation of the sodium-ion battery and the wallboxes only took four weeks - a period of time that could even be optimized in future projects.

In recent years, the Bremen-based company has carried out intensive research on this large-scale battery storage system with around 40 employees and various Fraunhofer institutes in order to bring the technology to market maturity. And with success! Solares plans to sell these innovative storage solutions in northern Germany in the future. A great example of the region’s innovative strength!

Sodium Ion Technology: A Look at the Benefits

Sodium-ion batteries have several key advantages over their lithium-ion counterparts. They are less temperature sensitive and have a higher cost efficiency, which is ensured by the greater availability of sodium. While the current energy density of sodium-ion batteries is 75-165 Wh/kg, lithium-ion batteries reach 120-260 Wh/kg. Nevertheless, sodium-ion batteries could represent a sustainable and attractive solution for stationary applications, also because they do not require critical materials such as cobalt or nickel. According to energy experts they offer improved safety and reduce the dependence on rare raw materials.

However, the challenges cannot be neglected. The development of efficient cathode and anode materials as well as the optimization of cycle stability remain key points in order to exploit the full potential of the technology. For Bremen and the innovative company Solares, it will be exciting to see how the technology will develop in the coming years and what influence it will have on e-mobility and the energy transition.