Sodium-ion batteries are on the verge of a breakthrough: cheaper, more sustainable, and suitable for the mass market. A new study by Fraunhofer and Münster University shows their potential – and at TransformIT Europe, it becomes clear why they are crucial for Greentech and Green Business.

By Jan Nintemann and Jochen Siegle; Photo: Chuttersnap on Unsplash

A new study by the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Battery Cell Production (FFB) and Münster University shows: Sodium-ion batteries are on the verge of industrial mass production.

Study Shows Great Potential

The researchers compared various cell chemistries and their CO₂ footprint on a gigafactory scale. The result:

• Layered oxide cathodes already achieve energy densities comparable to established LFP batteries.
• Hard carbon anodes offer clear advantages for the carbon footprint, as they are cheaper and less energy-intensive to produce than synthetic graphite – with up to 11% optimization potential.

Thus, sodium-ion cells are considered an ecological and economical alternative to lithium-ion batteries, especially for stationary storage. Thanks to their “drop-in capability”, they can even be manufactured on existing production lines – an accelerator for market entry.

Significance for Green Business

Enormous opportunities are opening up here for the Greentech industry: sustainable energy storage, lower production costs, and new markets in the Green Business sector. The technology could become an important building block for global sustainable transformation.

TransformIT Europe: Platform for Exchange

These very topics are the focus of the new TransformIT Europe trade fair and conference platform. At the kick-off event in May 2025, Theresa Schredelseker, Research Manager at ZBT – Centre for Fuel Cell Technology, explained, among other things, how crucial hydrogen is as an energy storage medium to be able to handle high proportions of volatile renewable energies. This is because:

• Electricity surpluses are converted into hydrogen via electrolysis.
• This can be stored, transported, and used later.

Battery technologies such as sodium-ion batteries and hydrogen technology complement each other in a future energy system: Batteries handle short-term, highly flexible storage, while hydrogen serves as long-term storage and a molecular energy carrier for industry, mobility, and seasonal supply security.

Conclusion

Sodium-ion batteries are more than a laboratory project – they are on the verge of an industrial breakthrough. With their combination of sustainability, cost-efficiency, and simple production, they perfectly align with the goals of a climate-friendly economy and are intensively discussed at events like TransformIT Europe.

TransformIT brings together technology providers, science, and business – to accelerate the transition towards Green Business.

Sources & further Information

• Fraunhofer FFB – Research Production Battery Cell:
  https://www.ffb.fraunhofer.de/en.html
• MEET Battery Research Centre of the University of Münster
  https://www.uni-muenster.de/MEE
• Dr. Theresa Schredelseker, ZBT – Centre for Fuel Cell Technology, at TransformIT Europe – Trade Fair & Conference for Greentech and Sustainable Transformation:
  https://www.transformit.eu/speaker/dr-theresa-schredelseker/