Lithium-ion batteries have revolutionized our lives since they first came onto the market in the early 1990s. They are now used in all sorts of things, such as mobile phones, laptops and electric vehicles.
However, lithium-ion batteries are still heavy, their range could always be improved, and they can pose a significant fire risk if damaged.
In addition, their production requires large amounts of metals such as mined nickel and cobalt, which itself poses ethical and environmental challenges. Lithium on its own is an expensive material, and the extraction process has a significant environmental impact.
Despite all this, lithium-ion batteries are still used in virtually all electric vehicles. So, why is it taking so long to develop better alternatives?
“When all is said and done, battery development has actually progressed quite rapidly. The first lithium-ion batteries were introduced in 1991 and were the result of 20 to 25 years of intensive research. And this research is still ongoing,” said Ann Mari Svensson.
“Replacing lithium with sodium has taken place fairly quickly. The result is a type of battery that is somewhat similar to lithium-ion batteries but a little heavier,” said Svensson.
The first Chinese cars equipped with sodium-ion batteries have already been produced.
At SINTEF Energy, senior researcher Fride Vullum-Bruer is keen to strengthen Norwegian research and industry in the field of battery development. Not everything has to take place in Asia.
“There have been so many incredible advancements in battery technology. When the automotive industry really started to catch on to the idea of electric cars, it was the Asian countries in particular that threw their full weight behind the development. China led the way, along with South Korea and Japan,” said Vullum-Bruer.
As a result, it is primarily the automotive industry that has pioneered this research. Vullum-Bruer believes that funding for battery research in Norway needs to improve if we are to keep up.
“There has been a significant decline in funding for energy research in general – not just battery research – over the past decade. At the same time, competition has increased, meaning the funding is spread more thinly.”