Sodium-ion battery development has been supported and is expected to launch industry standard
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently said in a reply letter to the proposal on vigorously developing sodium-ion batteries in China that new batteries such as lithium-ion batteries and sodium-ion batteries are the "ballast stone" to promote the development of the new energy industry, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will strengthen the layout to promote the development of sodium-ion batteries.
The following is the original
Letter of reply to proposal No. 4815 of the Fourth Meeting of the 13th National Committee of the CPPCC (No. 523 of the Industry and Posts category)
Member Gao Yaguang:
Your "Proposal on Vigorously developing sodium-ion batteries in China" has been received, and the Ministry of Commerce, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Finance hereby reply as follows: China's ambitious goal of reaching the peak of carbon and carbon neutrality is a milestone event in the global response to climate change, which will have a far-reaching impact on green and low-carbon development. The key task to achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality is to implement renewable energy replacement actions, significantly increase the proportion of new energy in the energy structure, and build a new power system with new energy as the main body. New batteries such as lithium-ion batteries and sodium-ion batteries, as ballast stones to promote the development of new energy industry, are an important basis for supporting the wide application of new energy in the fields of electricity, transportation, industry, communications, construction, military and other fields, and are also one of the key supports for achieving the goal of carbon peak and carbon neutrality.
First, the relevant state departments actively promote the development of new batteries
The relevant state departments attach great importance to the development of the new battery industry, and take a series of measures to promote the healthy and orderly development of the new battery industry from the perspective of strengthening industry management, overall industrial planning, supporting technological innovation, and accelerating the construction of standards.
Our department has been actively promoting the development of new battery industry for a long time. First, formulate and publish the "Information Industry Development Guide (2016-2020)" to promote the progress and innovation and upgrading of new battery technology, and support the development of new battery industries such as sodium-ion batteries and flow batteries. The second is to actively carry out the research and development of related standards in the battery field, and promote the conversion of advanced technological innovation achievements into standards, norms and leading the high-quality development of the industry. The third is to support the construction of battery testing platforms, guide the establishment of a national power battery manufacturing innovation center, coordinate resources to promote industrial technological progress, and support key technologies such as new cathode materials and industrialization.
During the "13th Five-Year Plan" period, the Ministry of Science and Technology has systematically deployed related technologies for battery energy storage through the key special project of "Smart Grid Technology and Equipment" under the national key research and development Plan. Among them, sodium-based energy storage battery technology, as one of the key support directions, has made remarkable progress under the project series of "Research on basic scientific issues of high safety and long life and low cost sodium-based energy storage batteries". In recent years, the Ministry of Finance has promoted the vigorous development of the new energy vehicle power battery industry through policies such as subsidies for the promotion and application of new energy vehicles, and promoted the rapid improvement of the technical level of new battery products and the rapid reduction of costs.
Second, sodium-ion batteries have advantages in terms of resource richness and cost
Sodium-ion batteries work similarly to the rocking chair of lithium-ion batteries, relying mainly on sodium ions to move between the positive and negative terminals to work. In recent years, sodium-ion batteries have gradually entered the stage of large-scale test and demonstration. In June 2018, the first low-speed electric vehicle with sodium-ion batteries came out; In June 2021, Zhongke Sodium released the world's first 1MWh sodium ion battery energy storage system. This means that after lead batteries, lithium-ion batteries and other electrochemical energy storage systems, sodium-ion batteries have begun to emerge in the field of energy storage, which is expected to promote the further development and change of the new energy industry.
Sodium-ion batteries have certain advantages in terms of resource richness and cost. Sodium is the sixth most abundant element in the Earth's crust, with uniform geographic distribution and low cost. The reserves of lithium resources in the crust are only 0.002%, less than one thousandth of sodium, and the global distribution is regional. Second, sodium ion compounds have strong availability, stable price and low cost. In addition, aluminum is not alloyed with sodium at low voltage, so the negative electrode of the sodium-ion battery can use aluminum collector instead of copper collector like the lithium battery, thus reducing the cost and weight of the battery. Third, sodium and lithium have similar physical and chemical properties and storage mechanisms, and sodium ion batteries have relatively stable electrochemical performance and safety.
On the other hand, at present, sodium-ion batteries still have problems in the industrialization process, such as low energy density, short cycle life, imperfect supporting supply chain and industrial chain, and are still in the process of commercial exploration and continuous improvement. It is expected that in the future, with the increase of industrial investment, the technology is maturing, the industrial chain is gradually improving, and the cost-effective sodium-ion battery is expected to become an important supplement to lithium-ion batteries, especially in the field of fixed energy storage will have good development prospects.
Iii. Consideration of relevant opinions and suggestions
According to your suggestions on including sodium-ion batteries in relevant development plans and key science and technology support plans, promoting market application, promoting the establishment of standards, and giving policy support, our Ministry will earnestly absorb them together with relevant departments, and will actively take practical and effective measures to further study and implement them in the next step.
The first is the proposal to include sodium-ion batteries in relevant development planning and key scientific and technological support programs. My department will strengthen the layout in the "14th Five-Year Plan" related planning and other policy documents, from the promotion of cutting-edge technology research, improve supporting policies, open up market applications and other aspects, do a good job of top-level design, improve industrial policies, and overall guide the high-quality development of sodium ion battery industry. The Ministry of Science and Technology will implement key projects of "energy storage and smart grid technology" during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, and will list sodium-ion battery technology as a sub-task to further promote the scale and low-cost of sodium-ion batteries and improve the comprehensive performance.
The second is to promote the market application of sodium-ion batteries as soon as possible. Relevant departments will support sodium-ion batteries to accelerate the transformation of innovation achievements and support the mass production capacity of advanced products. At the same time, according to the process of industrial development, timely improve the relevant product catalog, and promote the application of sodium ion batteries with excellent performance and meet the conditions in new energy power stations, transportation vehicles, communication base stations and other fields; Promote the full commercialization of sodium-ion batteries through industry-university-research collaborative innovation.
The third is the proposal to promote the establishment of sodium-ion battery standards as soon as possible. Our department will organize relevant standard research institutions to carry out the formulation of sodium-ion battery standards in a timely manner, and support the standard project, standard approval and other links. At the same time, according to national policies and industry dynamics, combined with relevant standards to study the standardization policies of the sodium-ion battery industry to guide the healthy and orderly development of the industry.
The fourth is to give support to sodium-ion battery products or enterprises that enter the market at the initial stage. Our department will sort out the energy electronics industry chain and coordinate resources to support the development of new energy storage batteries such as lithium-ion batteries and sodium-ion batteries. Relevant departments will continue to vigorously support scientific and technological innovation in relevant fields, and focus on market-oriented means to promote the formation of more reasonable and efficient business models, and solve common problems faced in the process of industrial development through the establishment of a benign development mechanism.
Thank you for your concern for the development of the sodium-ion battery industry, and hope to get more support and help from you in the future.
