The United States is moving closer to turning decades of scientific research into commercial reality by developing batteries made from ordinary table salt, as American startups seek to reduce dependence on China for batteries and critical raw materials.
The technology, known as sodium-ion batteries, replaces lithium and other scarce materials with more widely available sodium. The shift could help countries diversify their battery supply chains and reduce their long-standing reliance on China for both battery production and key raw materials.
Compared with conventional lithium-ion batteries, sodium-based batteries are generally cheaper, durable and considered safer, with a lower risk of fire. They are already being used as backup power for U.S. electricity grids and rapidly expanding data centers.
Peak Energy, a startup led by former engineers from General Motors and Tesla, is among the companies advancing the technology. The company plans to establish a new gigafactory in Sacramento, California, with a target of producing four gigawatt-hours of batteries by early 2027.
Another startup, Inlyte Energy, is developing a tube-shaped battery using a combination of iron, steel, aluminum oxide and ordinary salt. The company says the chemistry is designed to eliminate the risk of fire.
A recent report by Morgan Stanley projects that more than one-third of batteries produced globally could use sodium instead of lithium within the next decade.
However, sodium-ion batteries still face an important limitation: their heavier weight. This makes lithium-ion technology more attractive for electric vehicles, where lower weight and higher energy density are critical.
China currently produces most of the world’s sodium-ion batteries, but U.S. startups are seeking to establish a stronger domestic position in the emerging industry.
Mukesh Chatter, chief executive of Alsym Energy, has warned that although the United States is not falling behind in innovation, a lack of adequate government support could once again allow China to take the lead in scaling up production.
The growing investment in sodium-ion technology highlights Washington’s broader effort to build domestic battery capacity and reduce exposure to China’s dominance of critical mineral and battery supply chains.
