The U.S. market is writing its own sodium-ion spec
Sodium-ion cells are manufactured on largely the same equipment and process steps as lithium cells, while U.S. project requirements have shifted toward domestic content thresholds and foreign-entity-of-concern restrictions that shape what a developer can use. The text states that sodium-ion sidesteps concentrated mineral supply chains, and that UL 9540A test data at the cell, module, unit and installation levels drives deflagration venting, suppression sizing, setbacks and the fire service response plan. Juniper Energy signed an agreement this year covering 500 MWh+ of sodium-ion deployments, starting with an 80 MWh project in California targeted for commercial operation in 2027.
Why it matters: It bears on the briefing's supply-chain theme, since domestic content and foreign-entity-of-concern rules rather than cell chemistry alone now determine which storage technologies American projects can procure.