Sodium-Ion Batteries Gain Ground in U.S. Energy Shift

Domestic energy storage firms embrace sodium-ion as a safer, cheaper alternative to lithium, backed by early grid-scale deployments.

11 Jun 2025

Battery manufacturers in the US are accelerating efforts to commercialise sodium-ion technology, positioning it as a domestic alternative to lithium-based systems. The shift comes amid rising concerns over lithium’s volatile pricing, supply chain instability, and growing geopolitical risk.

Pilot projects in states including California and New York are already demonstrating sodium-ion’s potential, particularly in grid-scale solar storage and backup applications. The batteries offer advantages in cost, safety, and materials sourcing. As sodium is widely available in the US, producers avoid many of the constraints tied to lithium, which is mostly mined and refined abroad.

“Sodium-ion doesn’t just solve a cost issue, it solves a risk issue,” a spokesperson for Natron Energy said. The California-based company is deploying its systems at substations and industrial sites, with manufacturing operations rooted in the US. These deployments qualify for federal incentives under clean energy programmes, adding to their appeal.

The Department of Energy has placed long-duration energy storage high on its agenda, with national laboratories such as Argonne supporting sodium-ion research. Scientists there are working to improve battery lifetimes and simplify production processes.

Unlike lithium-ion cells, sodium-based batteries do not require cobalt or nickel, metals associated with environmental and labour concerns. The chemistry is considered safer and more stable, reducing the risk of fire. However, sodium-ion batteries have lower energy density, limiting their usefulness in mobile or weight-sensitive applications.

Manufacturing at scale remains an obstacle. Few US facilities currently produce sodium-ion cells at commercial volumes, and private investment is still in early stages. But developers say the supply-side advantages and domestic incentives make sodium a strategic choice for stationary storage.

“The economics and geopolitics both point in the same direction,” said one industry analyst. “If sodium-ion can deliver on performance, it’s well placed to grow.”

With federal backing and early grid successes, the US storage sector appears poised to diversify beyond lithium, creating a more secure and scalable foundation for the clean energy transition.