43
Alfen, CATL to deploy 5 GWh of sodium-ion battery storage in Europe (www.pv-magazine.com)
submitted 3 months ago by to c/upliftingnews@lemmy.world
11 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Netherlands-based Alfen and China-based CATL have signed an agreement to deploy 5 GWh of sodium-ion battery energy storage systems in Europe, building on an existing partnership focused on lithium-ion battery storage projects.

all 11 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] 4 points 3 months ago (1 child)

Im excited about sodium ion batteries, they seem to work without cobalt and nickel.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •
    • [–] 4 points 3 months ago* (8 children)

    The irony. The idea behind sodium was a non-asian, cost competitive supply chain.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 8 child comments
    •
  • [–] [S] 6 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (6 children)

    China being first to market with a new battery technology is not surprising. The difference is that the manufacturing process is not reliant on China's Lithium supply chain.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 6 child comments
    •
  • [–] 1 point 3 months ago* (4 children)

    Oh yes. They can have the sodium up faster. It's that Europe has decided to buy Chinese sodium batteries than support their own production of sodium that's ironic. That to me sends a message to the European sodium industry: "even if your manufacturing is (or can be) independent of China, we will still buy China as long as they're cheaper and we can buy from them, and whilst that is true, we won't support your (sodium battery industry in Europe) development."

    Of course, I'm generalising a little, this is but one company. But it's definitely a sizeable order. Beyond what one might call a pilot trial of a technology.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
    •
  • [–] [S] 1 point 3 months ago* (1 child)

    The difference is that the manufacturing process is not reliant on China's Lithium supply chain.

    A more accurate statement I could make is that manufacturing does not need to depend on the China's Lithium supply chain. As this technology matures, domestic manufacturing of this technology will be possible.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •
  • [–] 2 points 3 months ago

    Agreed. But the technology can only mature if it's growth is supported in the domestic context. By buying Chinese, the growth of the technology in China is supported and the contrary is as a result, effectively discouraged.

    It sends a message to early investors that early investment is not rewarded in Europe. In the future when Europe wants domestic production, will they be able to recruit the necessary talent? To buy the technology? Can they bring it up to scale within a reasonable time frame?

    No, same thing will happen that has happened to the lithium ion battery companies that are all falling apart despite significant investment.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent