Natron Energy has announced final plans to build a nearly $1.4 billion gigafactory in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. Upon completion, it will be the first sodium-ion battery gigafactory in the U.S. and will produce 24 gigawatts (GW) of sodium-ion batteries annually at full capacity.
Sodium-ion batteries are considered a less expensive alternative to lithium-ion batteries for battery electric commercial and passenger vehicles, thanks in part to sodium being more readily available and cheaper than lithium. Natron's high-performance sodium-ion batteries, according to the company, are able to outperform their lithium-ion counterparts in terms of power density and recharging speed. Furthermore, they do not require rare earth minerals, specifically lithium, cobalt, copper, or nickel. They're also non-flammable.
Instead, they're made from aluminum, iron, manganese, and sodium electrolyte. The company says these batteries are an environmentally and socially responsible alternative to both lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries.
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As such, sodium-ion batteries could help to increase EV production for both passenger and commercial vehicles. Natron's patented Prussian blue electrodes store and transfer sodium-ion faster and with lower internal resistance than any other commercial battery currently on the market, the company points out.
Natron’s patented Prussian blue electrodes store and transfer sodium-ions faster, and with lower internal resistance than any other commercial battery on the market today.Natron Energy
“Today is a momentous day for Natron Energy. This flagship manufacturing facility will dramatically accelerate our efforts to deliver sodium-ion batteries to customers who are hungry for safe, reliable, and environmentally responsible energy storage solutions,” said Colin Wessells, founder and co-CEO of Natron Energy. “After evaluating over 70 sites across 9 states, we found that North Carolina, with its leadership in the clean energy revolution, would make the perfect home for this project."
This upcoming 1.2 million square-foot facility, located at the 437-acre Kingsboro megasite, was facilitated in part by the Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) and has already been approved by the state's Economic Investment Committee.
Company officials add that the completed facility will allow for a 40x scale-up of its current production capacity at its Holland, Michigan, enable the creation of over 1,000 jobs, and grow North Carolina's economy by $3.4 billion over the next 12 years.
According to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, "Natron Energy's choice to build this large and unique battery factory in our state will help the nation reduce greenhouse gas emissions while creating good jobs in Rocky Mount, Nash, and Edgecombe counties, and many other places in eastern North Carolina."
No timetable was given as to when construction will get underway, a completion date, or when it will reach production capacity.
