Scaling up Renewable Energy Storage with Sodium Ion Batteries and Green Technology Policy

A key element in the transition to net zero carbon emissions is increasing the use of renewable energy, especially wind and solar energy, and scaling up energy storage sustainably to enable their greater use. This paper discusses the advantages and challenges of scaling up renewable energy storage with increased development and use of sodium ion batteries, and the role for green technology policy in addressing the externalities associated with these challenges. Sodium ion batteries can be built without the use of lithium and cobalt, in contrast to commonly used lithium ion batteries, thereby avoiding large environmental and social costs associated with mining of lithium and cobalt. There are externalities in building a recycling system for sodium ion batteries, since its components are not very valuable. Moreover, there are network externalities in building large-scale grid storage infrastructure, for which sodium ion batteries are suitable. Due to these externalities, there is a role for green technology support policies in helping to scale up renewable energy storage with sodium ion batteries.