The start-ups hoping to return battery making to the US
Summary
A US company called Unigrid is selling new home batteries using sodium ion technology, which could be cheaper and safer than current lithium ion batteries. While China currently leads in making these batteries, Unigrid hopes to produce batteries made entirely in the US using US materials in the future.Key Facts
- Unigrid is based in San Diego and sells a 9 kilowatt hour sodium ion battery for home use.
- The batteries help store electricity, allowing users to run air conditioners more cheaply during hot times.
- Sodium ion batteries may cost less and be safer than lithium ion batteries, working in extreme temperatures.
- China currently leads global production of sodium ion batteries, but Unigrid plans to compete by possibly sourcing US-made cells later.
- Unigrid’s battery uses chromium-3 in the cathode, which some experts worry could turn into toxic chromium-6 under certain conditions.
- Unigrid says independent safety tests show their battery does not form toxic chromium-6, even under extreme overcharging.
- Other sodium ion batteries use different cathode materials like hard carbon or sodium iron phosphate to avoid toxicity concerns.
- Confidence in sodium ion battery technology has grown in recent years due to improvements in safety and reliability.
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