Our reporter Li Ting
On the afternoon of July 29, CATL held an online press conference as scheduled, and the first generation of sodium-ion batteries and lithium-sodium hybrid battery packs were officially unveiled.
As early as two months ago, the chairman of CATL, Zeng Yuqun, revealed at the 2020 annual general meeting that sodium battery technology has matured. This statement also made sodium batteries a hot spot in the market. At that time, the industry generally expected that CATL would officially launch sodium battery products in July.
On July 28, CATL announced that it would hold a sodium ion battery press conference in the afternoon of the 29th. In the secondary market, Ningde Times rose for two consecutive days on the 28th and 29th. As of the close of the market on July 29, Ningde Times reported 556.8 yuan per share, an increase of 6.05% on the day.
“Our first-generation sodium-ion battery has begun to commercialize cooperation with car companies and energy storage customers.” The relevant person in charge of Ningde Times told the reporter of “Securities Daily” that sodium-ion batteries have unique advantages and different applicable scenarios. Complementary coexistence with lithium-ion batteries.
“The world of electrochemistry is like an energy cube.” On the afternoon of July 29, Zeng Yuqun said at the press conference that as another milestone achievement in the industrialization of innovative technologies in the Ningde era, sodium ion batteries will clean energy and electric transportation. To provide brand-new solutions to promote the early realization of the goal of “carbon neutrality”.
CATL revealed at the press conference that the company’s sodium-ion battery has achieved a series of breakthroughs in materials. For example, in the cathode material, the Prussian white material with higher gram capacity is used, and the anode material is hard carbon material. Based on this, the first-generation sodium-ion battery cell energy density of CATL is as high as 160Wh/kg; charging at room temperature for 15 minutes, the power can reach more than 80%; in a low temperature environment of minus 20 degrees, it also has more than 90% Discharge retention rate; system integration efficiency can reach more than 80%.
According to industry insiders, the current rising prices of lithium battery raw materials have put tremendous pressure on fast-developing power battery companies. About 70% of the world’s lithium resources are concentrated in South America, and 80% of my country’s lithium resources rely on imports. For the “stuck neck” issue, relevant companies have turned their attention to sodium batteries.
Mo Ke, the chief analyst of True Lithium Research, told the Securities Daily reporter that the energy density level of the first generation of sodium-ion batteries in the Ningde era has reached the world‘s leading level, catching up with lithium iron phosphate batteries, and this energy density level has been able to Realize the commercial application of the scene. In theory, sodium batteries have more cost-price advantages than lithium batteries.
The relevant person in charge of CATL told reporters that CATL’s first-generation sodium-ion battery has begun commercial cooperation with car companies and energy storage customers. It has the advantages of high energy density, high rate charging, excellent thermal stability, good low temperature performance and high integration efficiency. It can be applied to various traffic electrification scenarios, especially in alpine regions, with outstanding advantages and flexible adaptation. Full-scenario applications in the field of energy storage.
The person in charge further stated that sodium-ion batteries have abundant raw materials reserves, wide distribution, no resource dependence, and strategic safety value. The scale and cost advantages of sodium-ion batteries will gradually become prominent in the future.
Mo Ke believes that the three major development directions for new energy batteries in the future are determined. First, the safety of the battery is getting higher and higher, the second is the energy density of the battery is getting higher and higher, and the third is the cost and price of the battery is getting lower and lower. Sodium batteries are gradually catching up in terms of energy density, and at the same time they have outstanding price advantages, making them have the basis for industrialization.
Zeng Yuqun also stated at the press conference that the energy density research and development target for the next generation of sodium-ion batteries is more than 200Wh/kg.
According to the company, in terms of manufacturing processes, sodium-ion batteries can achieve perfect compatibility with lithium-ion battery production equipment and processes, and the production line can be quickly switched to complete the rapid layout of production capacity. At present, CATL has initiated the corresponding industrialization layout, and a basic industrial chain will be formed in 2023.
So, does this mean that sodium batteries will fully replace lithium batteries in the future?
In this regard, Mo Ke believes that, in fact, sodium batteries are still facing certain challenges in the process of industrialization. For example, the cost of hard carbon as the anode material of sodium ion batteries in the Ningde era is still relatively high, and the sodium element itself is also in terms of performance. There are some challenges that need to be solved, such as the slower characteristics of the element itself and the larger volume.
The CATL also innovatively proposed a lithium-sodium hybrid battery pack solution.
The relevant person in charge said that according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s analysis, the market size of power batteries and energy storage batteries in 2020 has reached 174GWh, and it is predicted that the compound growth rate in the next 10 years will exceed 30%. As carbon neutrality has become a global consensus, while continuing to maintain high growth, the new energy industry has entered a stage of multi-level, multi-type, and diversified development, and increasingly segmented markets have put forward differentiated needs for batteries. Sodium-ion batteries have unique advantages and different applicable scenarios, and they will coexist and complement lithium-ion batteries.
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