A new center in Colorado is dedicated to making green energy more affordable for everyone. At their Broomfield location, Peak Energy is researching and developing a new type of battery that utilizes sodium-ion technology instead of lithium. The company highlights that sodium is more accessible and safer, making it an attractive alternative.
Safer and More Affordable Batteries
“If you have to think about your battery, there’s a problem,” said CEO Landon Mossburg. “What’s nice about sodium-ion batteries is they’re really, really safe. They don’t need a lot of cooling and other systems around them, and they’re cheaper.”
Earlier this week, Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced Peak Energy’s expansion to Broomfield, marking a significant step in the state’s green energy initiatives.
Community Impact
Broomfield Mayor Guyleen Castriotta expressed excitement about the new lab’s presence in the city. “Broomfield is trying to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and reduce waste from going to the landfill. All of these activities help us reach our sustainability goals,” she stated. The new facility will also create 20 new jobs in the area, further contributing to local economic growth.
Engineering Innovations
Mossburg has tasked his team with developing sodium-ion batteries on a larger scale, though this presents challenges regarding the final product’s size and weight. “The product is a giant 29 feet long; it looks like a shipping container of batteries, weighing 100,000 pounds—enough to power a lot of homes,” Mossburg explained.
Senior Cell Engineer Sean Culver detailed the battery creation process, which involves using an “electrode slurry.” This slurry is spread in layers along foil current collectors and then dried. “This would contain active components and a binder to make that slurry that, when you coat it out, would make that layer of a battery,” Culver added.
Future Plans
Peak Energy aims to source more technology locally from Colorado and other parts of the U.S. “We’re really excited about the technology. We think it’s going to be one of the front runners in a few years, so we want to catch up,” Mossburg said. The company plans to begin working with customers next year, intending to use solar and wind farms to charge their sodium-ion batteries with renewable energy. They hope these batteries will become a viable option for powering grids and, eventually, vehicles.
Sources
- Peak Energy Official Website
- Colorado Governor’s Office Press Release
- Local News Coverage on Peak Energy
