SIB:DE

Brief description

The overarching goal of the SIB:DE initiative is to evaluate the suitability of sodium-ion technology for the European energy and mobility transition and to achieve rapid industrial implementation. To this end, SIB:DE aims to pool national expertise in areas ranging from battery material development to the manufacture of large-format cells in order to rapidly increase the technology's maturity level. The close integration of partners from science and industry is intended to ensure the rapid transfer of research results to industrial scaling. The SIB concepts pursued in the present SIB:DE RESEARCH project are characterized by the fact that they can draw on existing infrastructure and process know-how from Li-ion battery cell production (so-called drop-in technology) for the manufacture of active materials and processing up to the cell and module level.

The project is divided into eight work packages, beginning with a starter package SP:

SP: In SP, commercial materials and cells are tested.

WP 1: In work package WP 1, a technology analysis is carried out, forming the basis for the evaluation matrix that will be developed throughout the project.

WP 2: In WP 2, process analysis parameters and cell definitions are specified to support the evaluation of SIB technology in terms of performance requirements and drop-in capability.

WP 3/4: In WP 3 and WP 4, material generations Gen 1 and 2, as well as the resulting cell generations Gen 1 and 2, are developed for 1 Ah to 10 Ah.

WP 5: In WP 5, a comprehensive cell analysis is carried out with regard to the requirement profile and safety-related tests.

WP 6: In WP 6, SIB-specific concepts for module construction and system architecture are developed and the cells are integrated in practice as a demonstrator.

WP 7: In WP 7, the ecological and economic evaluation of the various materials, processes, cell chemistries, and formats is carried out.

The results of the project will serve to lay the foundations for the further industrialization of sodium-ion batteries. They will enable the development of competitive and scalable materials and corresponding SIB cells, thereby supporting the establishment of a value chain for SIB technology. In the long term, the developments will contribute to the transfer of the resulting concepts to the markets and promote the implementation of corresponding cell products by industry, in particular with the participation of SMEs.

At the same time, the scientific exploitation of the results will take place through the publication of results and partial results in specialist journals or at trade fairs. Further publications are expected within a period of three years during the project and two years after the end of the project. In addition, the use of primary data will lead in the long term to improved data on the costs or environmental risks of SIBs, a significant advantage in terms of data reliability, and increased robustness of existing LCA models.