Natron Energy, Inc., a manufacturer of sodium-ion batteries, and Clarios International Inc., an international provider of low-voltage advanced battery technologies for mobility, jointly announced a strategic agreement to manufacture what they are dubbing the world’s first mass-produced sodium-ion batteries. The batteries are used primarily for critical power applications such as data centers and telecom networks, although future applications may also include electric vehicles and grid energy storage.
In a joint statement, the companies said the Clarios Meadowbrook, MI facility will become the world’s largest sodium-ion battery plant when mass production begins in 2023, placing the U.S. at the forefront of sodium-ion battery manufacturing. Natron has spent 10 years developing sodium-ion battery chemistry for mass manufacturing, and in 2021 released their first UL listed sodium-ion battery product.
Natron stated its sodium-ion batteries do not contain lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, or other minerals that have driven recent pricing volatility of the lithium-ion supply chain. Without conflict minerals, dependency on foreign mining projects or scarce materials, Natron said it has achieved stability in the pricing of its batteries.
Under this agreement, electrodes and large format cells based on Natron’s proprietary Prussian blue electrode sodium-ion chemistry will be manufactured in an existing plant owned by Clarios in Holland, MI. The Clarios Meadowbrook plant was built as part of the ARRA program and has produced automotive lithium-ion cells for the past decade.
With support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s ARPA-E agency through the SCALEUP program, Natron will install new cell assembly equipment in the Clarios Meadowbrook plant to enable mass production of sodium-ion cells for its customers in the industrial power market.
“This project marks the beginning of a new era for Natron, in which we move from product development to serving our customers at a massive scale. Natron is grateful for the continued support from ARPA-E and Clarios which has helped make this project possible,” said Colin Wessells, Natron’s founder and CEO.
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