New "Salt Battery" Proves Energy Storage Exists, Again

The article highlights the launch of a new sodium-ion "salt battery" by US startup Aslym Energy, aimed at advancing renewable energy storage with improved safety and cost-effectiveness. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, which use flammable liquid electrolytes, Aslym’s Na-Series batteries are non-flammable, non-toxic, and designed for stationary energy storage applications such as data centers and grid support. These batteries offer up to 10,000 cycles (approximately 20 years), wider operating temperature ranges, and use aluminum current collectors to reduce degradation issues common in lithium-ion systems. However, Aslym acknowledges their sodium-ion technology is not yet ready for electric vehicle use due to energy density and weight considerations. Aslym’s development comes amid growing global demand for safer, more affordable energy storage alternatives to lithium-ion, especially as renewable energy deployment accelerates worldwide. Despite setbacks in US energy storage innovation, such as the failure of Natron, Aslym secured $78 million in funding from investors including