The Most Promising New Battery Storage Tech Out There At the Moment

 

A Look at the Most Promising New Battery Storage Technologies

For years, lithium-ion batteries have been the reigning champion, but the quest for more power, longer life, lower costs, and enhanced safety is driving incredible innovation. As of early 2025, several new battery technologies are emerging from labs and entering pilot production, showing immense promise for a cleaner, more efficient energy future.

Perhaps the most talked-about next-generation technology, solid-state batteries aim to replace the liquid or polymer gel electrolyte found in conventional lithium-ion batteries with a solid, conductive material (like ceramics, glass, or polymers).

• How they work (simplified): Like traditional batteries, solid-state batteries still rely on the movement of ions between an anode and a cathode. However, the solid electrolyte acts as a highly stable and efficient pathway for these ions while also serving as a physical separator, preventing short circuits. This allows for the use of more energy-dense anode materials, such as lithium metal.
• Promising Advantages:
  • Higher Energy Density: Potentially 2x or more energy density than current lithium-ion batteries, meaning significantly longer range for EVs or smaller, lighter batteries for the same capacity. Some projections aim for up to 450 Wh/kg at the cell level.
  • Enhanced Safety: Solid electrolytes are generally non-flammable, drastically reducing the risk of thermal runaway and fires that can plague liquid-electrolyte batteries.
  • Faster Charging: The stable nature of the solid electrolyte can enable much faster charging rates.
  • Longer Lifespan: Potentially more charge-discharge cycles due to reduced degradation.
• Current Status & Key Players: Long considered a "holy grail," solid-state technology is now moving beyond the lab.
  • Toyota has been a long-term leader and plans to roll out solid-state-powered cars as early as 2026.
  • QuantumScape is working with Volkswagen and other automotive partners.
  • Samsung SDI, CATL, and BYD are all investing heavily, with CATL and BYD part of a Chinese government-backed consortium to accelerate commercialization. Some "semi-solid-state" batteries (with a small amount of liquid electrolyte) have already appeared in vehicles in late 2024, with more expected in 2025.
  • Mercedes-Benz, in collaboration with Factorial, began road-testing an EQS prototype equipped with a lithium-metal solid-state battery in early 2025, claiming up to 25% more range for the same battery weight and size.
  • Many experts anticipate demonstration vehicles by 2027 and larger-scale production by 2030.

2. Sodium-Ion Batteries: The Abundant and Affordable Challenger

While lithium is relatively scarce and geographically concentrated, sodium is one of the most abundant elements on Earth, found readily in salt. Sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries leverage this common material to offer a compelling alternative, especially for applications where cost and sustainability are paramount.

• How they work (simplified): Na-ion batteries operate on a similar "rocking chair" principle to lithium-ion, where sodium ions shuttle between the anode and cathode during charge and discharge. However, they use sodium ions as the charge carriers instead of lithium ions.
• Promising Advantages:
  • Lower Cost: Sodium is significantly cheaper and more widely available than lithium, reducing raw material costs.
  • Sustainability: Reduced reliance on lithium and potentially controversial materials like cobalt (often used in Li-ion cathodes).
  • Safety: Generally exhibit better thermal stability and lower fire risk compared to some Li-ion chemistries.
  • Good Performance in Cold Temperatures: Can operate more effectively at lower temperatures than many lithium-ion types.
  • Abundant Materials: Uses aluminum for current collectors instead of copper, further reducing cost and supply chain pressures.
• Current Status & Key Players: Sodium-ion technology is advancing rapidly and poised for significant market entry.
  • CATL introduced its second-generation Na-ion battery in 2024 with improved energy density and temperature resilience, targeting mass production in 2025 for EVs and energy storage. They have branded this as "Naxtra."
  • HiNa Battery Technology Co., Ltd. supplied the world's first 100 MWh sodium-ion energy storage project in 2024.
  • Altris AB (Sweden) is focusing on Na-ion for stationary storage and partnering with automotive players.
  • Faradion Limited (UK) is a pioneer, targeting grid storage and EVs.
  • TIAMAT SAS (France), backed by Stellantis, is developing Na-ion for EVs and large-scale storage.
  • Natron Energy (US) is focusing on industrial applications like data centers.
  • While their energy density is currently lower than high-performance Li-ion (around 160 Wh/kg for some initial commercial cells), it's improving and is already suitable for stationary storage and some EV segments.

3. Silicon Anode Batteries: Boosting Lithium-Ion's Potential

Instead of being an entirely new chemistry, silicon anode technology represents a significant upgrade to existing lithium-ion batteries. Silicon has a theoretical capacity about ten times higher than the graphite traditionally used in Li-ion anodes.

• How they work (simplified): In these batteries, silicon (or silicon-carbon composites) is used as the anode material. During charging, lithium ions are stored in the silicon anode. The challenge has been that silicon expands and contracts significantly during charging and discharging, leading to mechanical stress and rapid degradation.
• Promising Advantages:
  • Higher Energy Density: By incorporating silicon, batteries can store more energy in the same weight or volume, leading to longer runtimes or smaller batteries (up to 50% longer life cited by some).
  • Faster Charging: Some silicon anode designs can accommodate faster charging rates.
  • "Drop-in" Potential: Advanced silicon anode materials are being designed to be "drop-in" replacements for graphite in existing Li-ion manufacturing processes, potentially speeding up adoption.
• Current Status & Key Players: Significant progress has been made in overcoming silicon's stability issues, making it a near-term enhancement for Li-ion.
  • Group14 Technologies is a world leader in advanced silicon-carbon composite materials (like their SCC55®). Their BAM-1 factory in Washington has been delivering material since 2021, and a joint venture factory in South Korea began shipping in 2024. They claim their material can enable 0-80% charge in under 10 minutes.
  • BASF, a chemical giant, is collaborating with Group14 on market-ready silicon anode solutions, optimizing binders for silicon-rich anodes to ensure durability even at extreme temperatures (claiming over 500 cycles at 45°C with nearly four times the capacity of traditional graphite).
  • Patent activity in Q1 2025 was high, with major applicants including Shanshan, Samsung, and LG Energy Solution, all working on advanced silicon-carbon composites to improve structural stability and cycle life.
  • Sionic Energy is using Group14's material to develop batteries with 100% silicon anodes.

Other Notable Technologies on the Horizon:

• Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) Batteries: Offer a very high theoretical energy density (potentially 5x Li-ion) and use abundant, low-cost sulfur. Challenges include a shorter cycle life due to sulfur dissolution (polysulfide shuttle effect), but research is ongoing. Companies like Theion (developing solid-state sulfur batteries) and Conamix are making strides, with market entry potentially around 2028. Some research shows improved cycle life (e.g., University of Michigan with up to 1000 cycles).
• Iron-Air Batteries: These metal-air batteries use the oxidation of iron (essentially rusting and de-rusting) to store and release energy. They promise extremely low costs and are ideal for long-duration (100+ hours) grid-scale storage. Form Energy is a key player, with its first commercial-scale projects expected to come online in late 2025 and 2026. These are not suited for mobile applications due to their size and lower power density.
• Redox Flow Batteries (RFBs): Already used for grid storage, RFBs store energy in liquid electrolytes held in external tanks. They offer scalability, long lifespans, and improved safety. Recent innovations by companies like XL Batteries (using saltwater-based electrolytes) and research into new electrochemistries (like polysulfide-iodide) aim to improve efficiency and lower costs.

Space XXX launches first all gay crew into orbit

BREAKING!

Elon Musk introduces SPACE XXX...

Will launch the first all-gay male space crew:

Pete Buttegieg, Neil Patrick Harris, and John Mulaney (Mulaney accidentally invited even though he is not gay but really seems gay)

"We're gonna be ass-tronauts!" Harris joked.

Mulaney described as "nervous" during the photo shoot.

The Skewer #2

(posted before the SNL skit)

"The Skewer" Issue #1

 

Birthday gift from my daughter today

 

Joe Biden left two astronauts in space

Joe Biden left two astronauts in space for an extra year because he did not want an evil Nazi to get credit for rescuing them. 

And now the evil Nazi has sent a rocket to rescue those astronauts.

You all saw that right?

A QUICK GUIDE TO NOT GETTING RIPPED OFF BY A DOCTOR

 

  I recently had some dental work done. I had to get a few wisdom teeth removed. I was in some pain and was not in much of a mood to slow down and evaluate the process the dentist was recommending.  I almost made a gigantic mistake but we were saved by a friend with special insider knowledge. I am going to give you some of that knowledge right now. 

You need to know what happened. 

Read on...

It is Orange County, CA, 2024, and I had selected a dentist who was "in network" meaning they have an agreement with my insurance plan. They evaluated my situation (extraction of three teeth) and said it was going to be about $2,300. They set me up right there in the office for a payment plan with Lending Club and I was scheduled for surgery in about a month.  The first payment for the yet-to-be-performed surgery came in a few weeks and I was thinking, hmm, this seems weird. I called the office and they said that was normal. My wife got more suspicious than I did because I rarely go to a doctor or a dentist for anything more than a checkup, so I did not know that this was NOT normal.

That's when she started talking to her friend who saved our butts. This friend who we will call "Joni" used to work for a doctor's office and for an insurance company and she told us to put everything on hold because the dentists was stealing from us. 

Joni said flat-out that $2300 seemed very high for a few teeth to be extracted. She said to first make sure the involved technicians (dentist, anesthesiologist, surgeons) are ALL in network. Because, guess what, if one of the team of medical people in a procedure is "out of network" then the ENTIRE procedure is billed "out of network" so your "in network" dentist can now bill whatever they want. 

My wife, bless her, called the dentist for me and found out that, "Gosh, we put you with an out-of-network doctor, oops!" Now, I had been asking throughout this process if the doctor was in network and the answer seemed to be "yes" each time so I was not worried.-- they totally have my back, right?  Well, no, they often care not about "your back." 

After they reorganized the procedure to fix this "error" and got me set up with in-network  surgical people, it still seemed an abnormally high cost. They explained to my wife that, "Well, the insurance only covers this much but we charge this much so you have to pay the balance. Joni said that this practice is called "balance billing" and is ILLEGAL for a doctor to do when they have contracted with an insurance company. (don't worry, I will lay this out in bullet points at the end) 

Joni instructed my wife to call the office and use the words: "That is illegal and you cannot charge over the contracted rate." The answer was, "Oh, gosh, you are right. We will 'resubmit' the claim."  We found out from Joni  that "resubmitting" a claim basically means, "Oh, they caught us stealing, let's redo it correctly this time."  We eventually arrived at the insurance-contracted rate which was somewhere around $287. 

Yes, they were financing me for $2,300 and I was making payments BEFORE THE SURGERY ( an illegal practice for insurance-contracted doctors). They applied the payment I had already made on the illegal loan to that bill so we ended up only paying less than $300 for the procedure. 

Quite  a saving yes?

Months later, a friend of mind went in for his scheduled colonoscopy and they said, "Yeah that will be $1100."  He was stunned and had to lay down a credit card. I knew something was up, thanks to my recent experience, and told the wife (who had become a bit of an expert now) and she said, "Hell no." She instructed my friend to call his insurance company and ask about it and, lo and behold, it came out that the doctor's office had "used the wrong billing code" and it was actually only $100.  Oops!  Well, he got a refund.

THIS IS COMMON PRACTICE. 

Let's recap. Here are a few easy ways to remember what you should do in the event you need a medical procedure beyond of that normal doctor visit for a bad cough or earache.

Check if Provider is In-Network:

Call your insurance or check their website (calling is better) to make sure the provider is IN NETWORK. Do not mess with an out-of-network doctor -- unless you are very certain what the price is going to be and maybe you know this person and they have some specialty that you know is gonna be worth it for you. 

Get an Evaluation From Doctor 

They need to evaluate your situation and see what is needed. If the copay is appropriate then things are looking legit so you can proceed with evaluation, if they charge more for that then something may not be right.

Surgery Predetermination:

Before any services, ask the doctor to submit a "predetermination" to your insurance. They'll need to provide their tax ID, CPT codes, and medical records. Insurance will likely take weeks to respond with a letter of predetermination, so expect that.

If Doc Refuses To Do a Predetermination:

Get the doctor’s tax ID, CPT codes, and the name of the surgeon. Call your insurance with this info to verify network status and expected costs.

Watch Out for Extra Charges:

Doctors might claim they charge more than what insurance states, but if they're in-network, they can't legally charge you the difference. This is the "balance billing" I referred to earlier. They are not allowed to do this.

Extra things to remember: If ONE member of the surgical team is out of network then the whole surgery is billed "out of network" and "balance billing" is where they try to charge you MORE than the rate they contracted with your insurance provider.

Emergency procedures are rather a different animal and one cannot expect you to be able to do these things if you crack your head open on the street and are unconscious. Happily there seem to be safeguards set up for this and hospitals will have to figure out all that stuff in case you are incapacitated because most likely if they over charge you without your consent they open themselves up to legal challenges.  SO they are rally protecting THEMSELVES in that case so they will actually do the work. Remember if they trick you into agreeing to an out-of-network procedure or a "balance billing," then you are on the hook and it will be very hard for you to set things right.

I hope these tips help you as they did me.

To tighten it up even a more, remember this little acronym 

N.E.P. (Network, Evaluation, Predetermination)

Bookmark this article and refer to it because eventually as Father Time does his dastardly work on us all, the time will eventually come where you need this information.

Comments from people in the medical and insurance industry are appreciated here. Do let me know if I got anything wrong.