Beyond lithium: the rise of sustainable battery alternatives

Scientists are exploring non-lithium-ion batteries as a sustainable alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries, focusing on sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium-ion technologies. This research is crucial for developing clean energy systems that are both environmentally friendly and rely on abundantly available elements, ensuring a more secure and eco-friendly future for energy storage.

Lithium-ion batteries have been instrumental in the rise of portable electronics and electric vehicles (EVs). Yet, their reliance on finite and geographically concentrated resources like lithium, cobalt, and nickel poses critical challenges. Supply shortages and rising costs threaten the scalability of this technology, especially with EV demand surging. To address these pressing issues, researchers are urgently seeking more sustainable and cost-effective solutions.

On January 12, 2024, eScience published (DOI: 10.1016/j.esci.2024.100232) a perspective by teams from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Stevens Institute of Technology. The study explores the potential of non-lithium-ion batteries, identifying both opportunities and challenges. This research underscores the importance of alternative energy storage technologies in mitigating material shortages and enhancing applications across sectors.

The study spotlights the unique advantages of sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium-ion batteries. Sodium-ion batteries are poised to lead the transition, offering cost-effective energy storage for grid systems and mid-range EVs. Potassium-ion batteries, despite challenges linked to their larger ionic size, show potential for low-cost applications in microgrids and backup power systems. Magnesium-ion batteries stand out for their higher volumetric capacity and resistance to dendrite formation, though polarization issues currently limit their efficiency. Calcium-ion batteries promise impressive energy density but require breakthroughs in electrode-electrolyte stability. Both magnesium and calcium systems hold great promise for future innovation but demand continued refinement to meet performance goals.

 “Non-lithium-ion technologies represent an exciting opportunity to diversify and optimize energy storage,” says Prof. Haegyeom Kim. “Sodium and potassium batteries are particularly well-suited for cost-sensitive applications, while magnesium and calcium systems have the potential to achieve high energy density, setting the stage for long-term solutions in clean energy.”

These emerging battery technologies are uniquely positioned to address specific energy storage needs. Sodium-ion batteries are well-suited for large-scale, stationary applications like grid storage and home backup power systems. Meanwhile, magnesium and calcium-ion batteries, with their potential for superior energy density, could find applications in personal mobility devices, such as e-scooters and bicycles. Together, these innovations promise to diversify and strengthen the global energy storage ecosystem, fostering a sustainable energy transition.

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eScience – a Diamond Open Access journal (free for both readers and authors before 2026) cooperated with KeAi and published online at ScienceDirect. eScience is founded by Nankai University and aims to publish high-quality academic papers on the latest and finest scientific and technological research in interdisciplinary fields related to energy, electrochemistry, electronics, and environment. eScience has been indexed by ESCI, CAS, DOAJ and Scopus. The First Impact Factor (2023) is 42.9. The founding Editor-in-Chief is Professor Jun Chen from Nankai University. He is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a fellow of The World Academy of Sciences. eScience has published 19 issues, which can be viewed at https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/escience.