Advanced Energy Storage for Electric Vehicle Charging Support
This project will demonstrate a commercially ready energy storage technology that will overcome the cost, lifetime, and performance issues of currently available Li-Ion technology.
Natron Energy, Inc.
Recipient
Santa Clara, CA
Recipient Location
10th
Senate District
26th
Assembly District
$1,693,813
Amount Spent
Active
Project Status
Project Update
In 2024, Natron shipped a first set of battery modules to UCSD for laboratory testing and development of the energy management system. By the end of the year, Natron shipped the final set of modules to UCSD for full system installation. In January 2025 the modules were installed and commissioned at the EV fast charging station. Testing and data collection will continue through 2025.
The Issue
Meeting California's goal of 5 million electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030 and electrifying rideshare will require a dramatic acceleration in the deployment of EV charging infrastructure, particularly workplace and EV Fast Charging (EVFC) stations. A sustainable business model for expanding workplace charging and public EVFCs remains extremely challenging because of high utility demand charges assessed during peak demand periods of electricity use. Energy storage has not yet been widely adopted for the EVFC market due to costs, lifetime, and performance issues of currently available Li-Ion technology.
Project Innovation
Natron Energy’s sodium-ion battery technology will provide a superior alternative to Li-ion batteries for the EVFC market, with its long cycle life, very high charge and discharge rates, and excellent safety performance. Natron’s EPC-18-022 project will accelerate EVFC station buildouts, and thus support progress towards California’s GHG goals (AB 32, Exec. Order B-30-15), Energy Storage (AB 2514, AB 2868) and vehicle and rideshare electrification (SB 1014) goals. Natron will utilize awarded funds and match funds to design and build the next generation of Natron battery cells and products for the EVFC market, and install and test an integrated energy storage system at the University of California San Diego.
Project Goals
Project Benefits
The proposed project will generate greater market competition by creating a superior alternative to Li-ion batteries for the EVFC market, accelerating EVFC station buildouts, and thus supporting progress towards California's GHG (AB 32, Exec. Order B-30-15), energy storage (AB 2514, AB 2868) and vehicle and rideshare electrification (SB 1014) goals.
Economic Development
The project will fund permanent expanded manufacturing capacity at Natron's Santa Clara headquarters to produce a commercially available product. Natron will add jobs, produce a product for the EVFC market, and spur further EVFC buildout.
Reliability
Energy storage paired with EVFC effectively manages local reliability and power quality impacts on the distribution grid, particularly in congested urban areas where EVFC is essential to promote adoption for multi-unit residents, disadvantaged communities and rideshare drivers. Furthermore, it enables reliable VGI services such as load following and load shifting at lower ratepayer costs as compared to utility scale storage.
Safety
Unlike the incumbent Li-ion, Natron's PB/Na-ion batteries are not subject to fire hazards caused by uncontrolled increase in battery temperatures. Instead, Natron batteries are inherently safe in all scenarios compared to Li-ion cells. Natron batteries can be deployed in dense urban and rural remote environments without fear of fire hazards.
Key Project Members
Colin Wessells, PhD
Hannah Israel
Subrecipients
The Regents of the University of California, on behalf of the San Diego campus
J. R. P. Electric Inc.
Green Circuits, Inc.
Charlie Botsford
Match Partners
Natron Energy, Inc.
