Scientists in Estonia¡¯s Tartu University say that they found a way to use peat in sodium-ion batteries. The peat lowers the overall cost; however, the technology is still very new.

Sodium-ion batteries are one of the new technologies that battery makers are studying as they seek alternatives to the popular lithium-ion model. Sodium-ion batteries aren¡¯t so costly because they don¡¯t contain lithium, cobalt, or nickel. The peat in the batteries is very cheap as it¡¯s not used for agriculture or fuel; however, it yields a good quality carbon powder for batteries as well as super capacitors.

The process includes heating peat to a high temperature in a furnace for two to three hours. The carbon is then used to make parts for the batteries. With an increasing move worldwide to renewable energy and electric vehicles, alternatives like this could be very important.

Difficult words: peat (a dark brown material tmade from dead plants and organic material), yield (to produce or provide), super capacitor (a device that collects and stores a large amount of energy).