Sodium-ion battery safety research: Advancing the next generation of energy storage technology

Sandia National Laboratories’ Battery Abuse Testing Lab, the Department of Energy’s core facility for battery safety, is investigating the safety of sodium-ion battery technology. Due to sodium’s abundance and an electrochemistry that resembles lithium-ion batteries in some ways, sodium-ion batteries are being considered for grid storage and automotive applications. The research team is performing tests and collecting data to support science-based regulations, codes and standards for battery safety by design. The research team’s preliminary results were presented at the 2024 Energy Storage Systems Safety and Reliability Forum.