Salient Energy has received a grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC) to support the design and assembly of its zinc-ion residential energy storage systems.
The US firm will use the $1,583,125 to continue its development of novel zinc-ion batteries as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries— including opening an office and engineering facility in Oakland, California, in Q2 this year.
Salient will hire a team of engineers to design and assemble zinc-ion residential ESSs, at the facility, which will include field tests, and validation of its zinc-ion battery prototype applications for residential storage systems.
CEC’s leading industry experts will advise Salient throughout the project in an effort to ensure its success.
The firm aims to advance the technology from a pre-commercial stage to the technology demonstration stage where it can then be validated and scaled.
Ryan Brown, CEO and co-founder of Salient Energy, said: “CEC has recognised the potential of our zinc-ion battery technology and given us the opportunity to demonstrate its value for California residents.
“We’ve come a long way in showing that the zinc-ion battery is a safe and scalable alternative to lithium-ion.”
The State of California has outpaced the rest of the US with nearly 300 utility-scale storage projects—New York and Massachusetts are a distant second with around 40 each.
CEC vice chair Janea Scott said: “Through its EPIC research program, the CEC is pleased to support efforts, like Salient Energy’s, to advance zinc-ion battery and other storage technologies.
“Diversifying our storage technology options will help ensure grid reliability and allow for greater integration of the state’s vast renewable resources as California moves toward a clean energy future.”
BEST takes an in-depth look at zinc technology, including a interview with Brown, in the latest edition of the magazine, available in print or digital here
