Batteries That Use Sodium Instead of Lithium Could Be Low-Cost Rival to Tesla’s

Sodium-ion batteries providing large-scale energy storage in China – CREDIT: Datang power company / HiNa Battery

A new study shows that a low-cost sodium-ion battery currently used in cars and large-scale energy storage systems in China matches most performance parameters and production quality found in Tesla’s lithium-ion batteries.

Since sodium is much more abundant and widely available than lithium, using it for batteries could cut raw material costs for manufacturers and reduce supply chain risks that surround critical minerals.

Conducted by a German university, the research published on May 28 in the Cell Press journal Physical Science, looked at the battery designed by Hina, a spin-off company of the Chinese Academy of Sciences that has partnered with automakers like JAC to provide EV batteries.

It shows that “once the sodium-ion (or Na-ion) battery is tweaked to charge more effectively at low temperatures and function better at high energy densities, it could provide a cost-effective alternative for future electric vehicle batteries”.

“The combination of good uniformity, high power capability, and strong low‑temperature performance makes these cells attractive for stationary storage, grid services, and shorter‑range or commercial vehicles where potential lower cost and resource availability matter more than maximum driving range,” said Moritz Schütte, a battery researcher at RWTH Aachen University in Germany.

To assess how HiNa batteries compare to more advanced Tesla batteries, Schütte’s team used a non-destructive technique called impedance spectroscopy to measure the uniformity of 120 sodium-ion battery cells. Next, to map out the power and energy performances of individual cells under real-life conditions, the team tested the batteries at varying currents and at temperatures from −20 °C to 45 °C. They also used X-rays to see the battery’s internal structure, then opened up the cells to measure their electrode dimensions, compositions, and microstructures.

They found that the battery uses a tabless (design), a double-aluminum current collector design that reduces resistance and ensures a uniform temperature distribution—and also mirrors the current design of Tesla batteries.

“We were positively surprised by how uniform the cells are,” says Schütte.

However, the sodium-ion battery has some limitations when it comes to energy density and charging at low temperatures. “The high‑power performance was better than one might expect from an early commercial sodium‑ion product,” says Schütte.

“For applications that require frequent charging at low ambient temperatures, appropriate thermal management or operating strategies will be important because low-temperature charging remains a clear weakness.”

The researchers also found unexpectedly high, unevenly distributed levels of copper in certain cathode regions of the battery, which “raises interesting questions about its role in performance and aging,” said Schütte.

“It will be exciting to see future sodium-ion technologies that are free of nickel and copper, as well, while achieving competitive energy density.”

Sodium-ion batteries also perform well under load at low temperatures, making them an appealing option for both stationary power storage and mobile applications in cold climates.

“However, today’s commercial sodium-ion cells generally have lower energy density than the best lithium-ion cells, and the technology is less mature overall,” said Schütte.

Next, the authors plan to better understand and improve upon the battery’s charging capabilities at low temperatures so that they can charge more safely and efficiently below 0°C. Further research should also focus on optimizing the materials used to make sodium-ion batteries, added Schütte.

“Advances in hard‑carbon anodes and electrolyte formulations may be especially promising,” he said.This work was supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. Batteries That Use Sodium Instead of Lithium Could Be Low-Cost Rival to Tesla’s

Read More........ → June 05, 2026

Data centre to be built near planned Polish nuclear power plant

Visualisation of the Baltic Data Centre Campus in Choczewo (Image: WBS Power)

Renewable energy developer WBS Power has announced plans for a 3.2 GW data centre campus in the municipality of Choczewo in northern Poland's Pomerania region. It says the nuclear power plant planned to be built nearby will help provide a stable power supply.

Preparations for the project - named the Baltic Data Centre Campus - have taken several months, the company said, and included the development of the investment concept, the selection of an optimal location and the securing of suitable plot for the development. "The chosen site allows the project to scale flexibly across different technological configurations while ensuring access to sufficient power sources," it added.

WBS Power is now moving into the next phase of the project. The campus will be built in four phases, each with a planned capacity of 800 MW. Each phase will include: dedicated energy infrastructure for AI workloads; integration with renewable energy sources and battery energy storage systems; solutions meeting the highest ESG, energy efficiency and energy security standards; and platforms designed to support cooperation with global hyperscalers and cloud providers.

Preparatory work for all four phases is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, with the first data centre planned to become operational around 2028–2029.

The company said it has already secured grid connection conditions for the full 3.2 GW capacity.

"This will be the largest project of its kind in Poland and one of the largest in Europe," said WBS Power CEO Maciej Marcjanik. "The rapid development of AI is driving demand for hyperscale data centres supported by advanced infrastructure and reliable access to large volumes of power. The integration of renewable energy and energy storage with digital infrastructure will be a key pillar of competitiveness for next-generation hyperscale projects."

The company said power supplied to the Baltic Data Centre Campus "will come from conventional sources complemented by renewable energy and, in the longer term, also nuclear power".

In November 2022, the then Polish government selected Westinghouse AP1000 reactor technology for the construction of the country's first nuclear power plant at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site in Choczewo municipality. The aim is for Poland's first AP1000 reactor to enter commercial operation in 2033.

"The digital revolution requires infrastructure on an entirely new scale," said WBS Power CFO Hubert Bojdo. "We selected the location for the Baltic Data Centre Campus very carefully, ensuring access to large power capacities, a diversified energy mix already in place today, and the long-term prospect of stable supply supported by future nuclear generation." Data centre to be built near planned Polish nuclear power plant

Read More........ → May 27, 2026

A new ad campaign is pushing Australians to use less petrol. Has this happened before?

David Lee, UNSW Sydney

A new federal government advertising campaign is prompting Australians to reduce their fuel consumption during the current global oil crisis.

It asks Australians to consider using their car less and offers tips to boost fuel efficiency, such as “driving smoothly” and “unloading excess weight”.

It comes soon after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s whirlwind trip to Singapore, which makes up more than a quarter of Australia’s refined fuel imports, including more than half of our petrol, 22% of jet fuel and 15% of diesel.

However, the launch of the campaign shows the government is concerned to some degree about fuel supplies in Australia.

The federal government’s new campaign is titled ‘every little bit helps’.

So, why is this happening, are there historic precedents in Australia and what are other countries doing at the moment?

Why the concerns about fuel supply?

The campaign comes two weeks after national cabinet endorsed a four-stage National Fuel Security Plan – which mentions rationing as a final step – as global fuel supplies continue to fluctuate due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key factor – it was tentatively re-opened after the two-week ceasefire was agreed to last week. Since then, Iran has blocked ships from passing through the strait after Israel launched a wave of strikes in Lebanon. Then on Monday, US President Donald Trump threatened to block it via the US Navy.

Even before the ceasefire, the Australian government said it had secured supplies into May and that rationing would not be needed.

But it may be necessary if there’s no lasting peace in the Middle East.

How Asian countries are responding

Asian economies are particularly dependent on oil and gas supplies from the Middle East. According to the US Energy Information Administration, 84% of crude oil shipped through the Strait of Hormuz in 2024 was bound for Asia.

Understandably, several countries have already introduced rationing or other measures:

• Myanmar uses an “odd-even” system based on license plates, allowing the purchase of fuel on alternating days

• Thailand has encouraged remote work for public servants and asked residents to limit the use of air conditioning

• Vietnam has promoted cycling and carpooling

• Sri Lanka has implemented a weekly ration system for vehicles using a QR code

• Indonesia, South East Asia’s largest economy, has capped daily purchases for private consumers and asked public servants to work from home once a week

• The Philippines declared a national emergency and implemented governmental conservation measures.

Countries in Europe and Africa have also implemented rationing but Asian countries have been particularly affected.

Australia’s experience with fuel conservation

Australia has rationed petrol in earlier emergencies.

When the second world war broke out in September 1939, Australia only had enough petrol to last three months of normal consumption.

At first, the wartime government led by Robert Menzies encouraged Australians voluntarily to reduce their petrol consumption and promoted conversion to vehicles powered by gas from coal.

But as the fighting intensified, oil tankers which were on their way to Australia turned around because of the war, and supplies dwindled.

In June 1940, cabinet aimed to reduce consumption by 50%, a goal later reduced to 30%.

Under national security regulations, civilians were issued ration coupons limiting how much fuel a person could purchase. Non-essential driving was restricted. Public transport and essential industries were prioritised and diesel was tightly controlled for military and agricultural operations.

Even in wartime, rationing was unpopular. The issue contributed to Menzies’s near-defeat at the September 1940 election. His government was replaced the following year by a Labor government.

The end of the war did not automatically lead to the end of petrol rationing.

This was because Australia had to use US dollars to purchase most of its petrol, which were in short supply throughout the British Commonwealth. Consequently, the Chifley government continued with rationing to conserve dollars.

In June 1949, the High Court decided rationing was a matter for states – not the Commonwealth.

Australia’s next serious oil crisis came in the 1970s.

In 1973, the Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) reduced oil production and suspended deliveries to some western countries.

Like many other countries, Australia experienced “stagflation” – higher unemployment and inflation – for about a decade.

But Australia was shielded from the full reverberations because it reached about 70% sufficiency in oil through the discovery of oil and natural gas in Bass Strait.

Only in 1979, after a second oil price spike and a strike at the Caltex Refinery in Kurnell, New South Wales, was petrol rationing introduced through an “odd-even” number plate method.

Further action on fuel supply

After the 1970s oil crisis, the Hawke government sponsored legislation to allow the Governor-General to declare a formal national liquid fuel emergency.

The Liquid Fuel Emergency Act may be invoked as a last resort when a fuel shortage has national implications.

Under the act, the minister for climate change and energy can direct refineries, importers and distributors to adjust production and manage stocks.

The legislation also allows the government to implement two levels of rationing: retail and bulk.

Retail rationing involves service stations limiting how much individual motorists can buy at a time while also exempting essential users.

Bulk rationing targets large-scale distributors and wholesale customers, such as mining companies and large transport fleets.

Historic footage shows how Australians coped with fuel conservation in the past.

A reprieve, for now

Albanese’s National Fuel Security Plan mentions rationing as a final step.

Triggers include shortages threatening the operation of critical infrastructure, stockpiles being dangerously depleted and if the economy is at risk of stalling.

The wobbly ceasefire in the Middle East means Australians have been granted a reprieve. But rationing remains a possibility if hostilities resume.

David Lee, Associate Professor of History, UNSW Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Read More........ → May 01, 2026