The Rise of Sodium-Ion Batteries: Emerald Battery Labs Takes on China’s Lead

In the heart of Seattle, a small but ambitious clean energy startup is making waves in the battery storage industry. Emerald Battery Labs, a three-person team operating from the University of Washington, has secured nearly $1.1 million in pre-seed funding to advance their sodium-ion battery technology. This development comes at a critical time when alternatives to traditional lithium-ion batteries are increasingly sought after in the global clean energy transition. With China currently dominating the sodium-ion battery market, Emerald’s team of industry veterans is positioning itself as an American contender in this promising space.

The appeal of sodium-ion batteries lies in their practical advantages over conventional lithium-based systems. Lithium remains a precious resource that’s environmentally problematic to extract and primarily sourced from outside the United States. Sodium, by contrast, is abundant, inexpensive, and derived from the same element found in ordinary table salt. Beyond cost benefits, these batteries offer enhanced longevity and reduced fire risks compared to their lithium counterparts. These advantages make sodium-ion technology particularly attractive as energy storage demands surge across multiple sectors—from renewable energy integration and grid stabilization to powering drones and supporting EV charging infrastructure. As Emerald’s co-founder and chief product officer David Bell notes, “As battery chemistries evolve, as technology evolves, people are going to find new ways to use energy storage technology.”

Industry recognition of sodium-ion battery potential is growing rapidly. Sightline Climate’s recent survey of climate tech investors and entrepreneurs identified sodium-ion batteries as one of the top breakthrough technologies for 2026, second only to AI applications in clean tech materials discovery. However, this promising technology already has established leaders—primarily in China. Chinese automotive and battery giants CATL and BYD have made significant headway, with CATL claiming to have large-scale sodium-ion production lines already operational and BYD constructing massive production facilities. The competitive landscape in the United States includes other startups like Peak Energy, Nanode Battery Technologies, and Unigrid, all working to establish American leadership in this emerging field. Despite the numerous advantages sodium-ion batteries offer, they do come with one significant trade-off: lower energy density, requiring larger batteries to deliver equivalent power output compared to other technologies.

Emerald Battery Labs brings exceptional industry expertise to the sodium-ion battery challenge. The startup’s founding team includes CEO and chief technologist Kjell Schroder, who previously held leadership positions at Form Energy, Ionic, and EnPower; chief product officer David Bell, who led product management at Group14 (a manufacturer of silicon-anode materials for lithium-ion batteries) and worked at Ionic Materials; and chief operating officer Aric Stocks, a materials engineer who previously led global business development at Group14. This collective experience in battery chemistry, materials science, and business development positions the company well for the technical and commercial challenges ahead in the rapidly evolving energy storage market.

The startup’s operational approach leverages local resources and partnerships effectively. Working from the University of Washington’s CoMotion Labs and utilizing the university’s Clean Energy Testbeds for fabrication work, Emerald is focused on scaling production while seeking partners for pilot testing of their products. Their recent funding round attracted investment from Seattle-based E8, a network of angel investors specializing in clean-tech companies, along with individual E8 members and an undisclosed family venture office. With this financial backing, the company plans to expand its team in the coming year, adding crucial expertise as they move from development toward commercialization.

The emergence of companies like Emerald Battery Labs represents an important development in America’s clean energy landscape. As the world transitions away from fossil fuels, energy storage becomes increasingly critical for managing intermittent renewable power sources and stabilizing electrical grids. The sodium-ion battery sector exemplifies both the opportunities and challenges in this transition—offering a potentially more sustainable and affordable alternative to lithium-ion technology while facing significant competition from established international players. For Emerald, success will depend on their ability to overcome the energy density limitations of sodium-ion chemistry while scaling production efficiently. If they succeed, their work could help reduce American dependence on foreign battery materials and technologies while advancing the cause of clean energy adoption across multiple sectors. As global demand for energy storage continues its exponential growth, innovations like those being pursued at Emerald Battery Labs will play a crucial role in determining whether the United States can establish leadership in this strategically important industry.