According to Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun, a group of 14 Japanese universities, companies, and research institutions has announced a collaboration to advance the large-scale production and commercial application of sodium-ion batteries, which are considered one of the next-generation energy storage batteries. Given that sodium-ion batteries do not use rare metals, and Japan's access to key mineral resources is limited, the domestic market has high hopes for the development of this mass production technology.
According to Tokyo University of Science, sodium-ion battery technology has already been validated at the laboratory level. This project is expected to propel the technology into practical application. The group will invest approximately 760 million yen to develop mass production technology for stationary energy storage batteries for energy companies.
It is reported that one in four new cars sold globally is currently an electric vehicle. This trend is driving the growth in demand for energy storage batteries. Competition among countries is intensifying in the research and development of energy storage batteries aimed at reducing costs, extending driving range, and improving safety.
In Japan, the development of all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries, which offer excellent safety and energy density, is considered to be nearing commercial application. In contrast, Japan has not yet achieved large-scale production of sodium-ion batteries. However, it is said that because the mass production processes for these two types of batteries are similar, sodium-ion batteries can share production lines with ternary lithium-ion batteries. Therefore, once mass production technology is established, the widespread adoption of sodium-ion batteries may proceed rapidly.
