The prospect of electric cars capable of travelling much longer distances, homes able to meet their own energy needs, and mobile phones and laptops requiring less frequent charging depends directly on the development of more efficient, stable and durable batteries. In this context, CIC energiGUNE, a leading Basque research centre specialising in electrochemical and thermal energy storage and conversion, has established a strong research programme in sodium batteries in the Basque Country. This technology is beginning to enter the market and offers significant potential to reduce energy storage costs, diversify raw material supplies and facilitate the integration of renewable energy.
The centre began researching sodium-based technologies in 2011 and, fifteen years later, has developed the capabilities to design new materials through computational simulation, synthesise and characterise them, develop electrodes, manufacture cells and evaluate their performance in formats and under conditions closer to future industrial applications. “Our aim is to develop sodium-ion batteries and capacitors, from the initial stages through to pre-industrial prototypes,” explains Jon Ajuria, Head of Sodium Research at CIC energiGUNE. “We begin by modelling and designing materials using computational simulations. Once we have identified those with the greatest potential, we focus on their synthesis, always bearing in mind the possibility of industrialising or scaling up these materials in the future.”
Key advantages and applications
One of the main advantages of sodium batteries is the abundance of sodium as a raw material, which can reduce dependence on critical materials and offers considerable potential to lower manufacturing costs. It also supports the development of more sustainable energy storage solutions with diversified supply chains. Another notable advantage is their excellent performance at low temperatures, with the ability to retain more than 90% of their capacity even at −40°C. Certain sodium battery technologies also offer the potential for a long service life and a high number of charge and discharge cycles, characteristics that are particularly relevant for energy storage systems.
It is also worth noting that these batteries have a significantly lower risk of fire than conventional batteries. Potential applications include stationary renewable energy storage, urban electric vehicles and certain types of industrial equipment. Although further improvements in performance and competitiveness are still needed, their development will broaden the range of solutions available to meet the different requirements of the energy transition.
(More information at [https://cicenergigune.com/es/blog/bateria-sodio-aplicaciones](https://cicenergigune.com/es/blog/bateria-sodio-aplicaciones?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
A research programme launched in 2011
CIC energiGUNE began researching sodium-based technologies 15 years ago, when sodium-ion batteries still had a limited presence in the energy storage sector.
In 2013, just two years later, the centre organised the 1st Symposium on Na Batteries in Vitoria-Gasteiz, the first international symposium specifically dedicated to sodium batteries. The event brought together more than one hundred participants from 13 countries. Since then, the technology has progressed from fundamental research towards its first commercial applications. In 2026, the first sodium-ion batteries are already reaching the market, mainly from Asian manufacturers, while the first production initiatives are also beginning to emerge in Europe.
This progress coincides with growing global demand for energy storage systems and the search for technologies capable of diversifying the raw materials used in battery manufacturing. However, sodium batteries are not intended to replace lithium-ion batteries across the board. The two technologies offer different performance characteristics and can meet different needs.
While lithium-ion batteries retain advantages in applications where energy density is a decisive factor, sodium batteries can provide alternatives in areas where cost, raw material availability, safety or power performance carry greater weight.
“The future of energy storage will not depend on a single technology, but on having a range of solutions tailored to each application. Sodium batteries have enormous potential in sectors where cost, raw material availability and sustainability are decisive factors. At CIC energiGUNE, we have spent fifteen years working to improve their performance and bring this technology closer to industrial application,” explains Jon Ajuria.
From material design to pre-industrial prototypes
The research carried out by CIC energiGUNE covers the different stages required to take a new material through to its integration into a battery cell. The process begins with computational modelling, which enables researchers to study and select materials before proceeding to synthesis. The materials are then produced and characterised to analyse their structure and electrochemical behaviour. The next step involves incorporating these materials into electrodes. At this stage, CIC energiGUNE employs processes designed with both sustainability and future scalability in mind.
“Once we have developed the material, we integrate it into batteries by producing the electrodes using sustainable processes,” says Ajuria. The centre also has facilities for scaling up material production and manufacturing cells in different formats. These capabilities make it possible to assess material performance at larger scales and progress from initial laboratory tests towards pre-industrial prototypes.
Research activities are not limited to conventional sodium-ion batteries. CIC energiGUNE is also investigating solid-state sodium batteries, new electrode materials and electrolytes, and their integration into complete cells. The research programme also includes sodium-ion capacitors, which aim to combine greater energy storage capacity with the high power output and rapid charging and discharging characteristics of supercapacitors. In this way, CIC energiGUNE is exploring a range of sodium-based energy storage solutions, covering their development from materials research through to the prototyping stages preceding potential industrialisation.
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