Lithium batteries power almost everything today, but the raw materials come mostly from outside Europe, and prices keep climbing. This project asked: what if we used sodium instead — one of the cheapest and most abundant elements on Earth — to build batteries that work just as well for storing energy? A 22-partner team across 8 countries built 3 working sodium-ion battery prototypes and tested them in real-world settings: alongside solar panels, in industrial facilities, and in homes. The goal was to prove that Europe can manufacture its own competitive batteries without depending on Asian lithium supply chains.
Europe's energy storage market depends almost entirely on lithium-ion batteries, with raw materials and manufacturing controlled by non-European countries. This creates a dangerous supply chain vulnerability for any business investing in renewable energy, grid storage, or industrial power management. Rising lithium prices and geopolitical uncertainty make this dependence increasingly expensive and risky.
The project built 3 sodium-ion battery cell prototypes and tested them in 3 real energy storage scenarios: renewable generation, industrial use, and private households. Post-mortem cell analysis was conducted to understand ageing mechanisms and improve battery design. A total of 12 deliverables were produced covering materials, cell design, testing, and assessment.
If you are a renewable energy operator dealing with rising lithium battery costs and supply chain uncertainty — this project developed 3 sodium-ion battery prototypes tested in real energy storage environments linked to renewable generation. The technology uses abundant, low-cost sodium instead of lithium, directly reducing your raw material risk and storage costs.
If you are an industrial facility manager dealing with expensive peak-demand electricity and unreliable battery supply — this project tested sodium-ion cells specifically in industrial energy storage scenarios. With 12 industry partners already in the consortium, the technology is being developed with real manufacturing input and designed for cost-effective, safe deployment in factory settings.
If you are a home energy system provider struggling with the high price of lithium-based home batteries — this project demonstrated sodium-ion technology in a private household energy storage scenario. The cells were designed for safety and cost-effectiveness, two critical selling points for residential customers who want to store their rooftop solar energy.
The project positions sodium-ion as a 'cost-effective alternative' to lithium-based technologies, leveraging the natural abundance of sodium. Based on available project data, specific cost-per-kWh figures are not provided, but the entire value proposition centers on raw material cost reduction and European supply chain independence.
The consortium includes 12 industry partners across 8 countries forming what the project calls a 'solid European Battery value chain.' The coordinator TIAMAT is a French SME specializing in sodium-ion manufacturing. The project tested 3 prototypes in real environments, but full-scale mass production readiness would require further scale-up investment.
The project was funded as a Research and Innovation Action (RIA) under Horizon 2020. IP generated during the project is typically owned by the consortium partners who created it. Businesses interested in licensing the technology should contact the consortium through SciTransfer to discuss access terms.
The project tested 3 sodium-ion battery prototypes in 3 real energy storage environments: renewable energy generation (solar/wind), industrial electricity use, and private household storage. These cover the main stationary storage market segments.
The project specifically highlights 'high-competitive and safety Na-Ion cells' as a core objective. Sodium-ion batteries are generally considered safer than lithium-ion due to lower reactivity. Post-mortem analysis of cell prototypes was conducted to understand ageing and improve design.
The project directly addresses Europe's dependence on Asian-controlled lithium supply chains. Sodium is one of the most abundant elements globally, eliminating the raw material bottleneck. The consortium of 22 partners across 8 European countries is designed to keep the entire battery value chain within Europe.
This is a strong industry-driven consortium with 22 partners across 8 European countries, and a notable 55% industry ratio (12 out of 22 partners). The coordinator, TIAMAT from France, is an SME that specializes in sodium-ion battery manufacturing — meaning the technology lead is a company with direct commercial interest in bringing this to market. With 6 SMEs, 5 universities, and 5 research organizations, the consortium balances scientific depth with manufacturing capability. The geographic spread across Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Spain, France, Netherlands, Sweden, and Slovenia suggests a pan-European supply chain approach, which aligns with the project's goal of building a European-owned battery value chain independent of Asian suppliers.
TIAMAT (France) — a sodium-ion battery SME — coordinated this project. SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction to discuss licensing or partnership opportunities.
Want to explore sodium-ion battery technology for your energy storage needs? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the NAIMA consortium partners. Contact us for a tailored briefing.
