Dr Josef Daniel-Ivad, manager of the Zinc Battery Initiative says his members are powered up for the energy transition. Reasons include the secure and stable zinc supply in addition to the sustainability, recyclability and long duration of zinc.
The energy transition is underway and rechargeable, renewable zinc batteries are poised to provide a greener, cleaner alternative in energy storage. The need for more energy storage options is clear: The newly released BloombergNEF’s 2022 Energy Storage Market Outlook forecasts that energy storage capacity will reach 411GW by 2030, 15 times the storage available last year with a cumulative capacity of 1,194GWh installed. Competitive, scalable, and sustainable batteries of all types are needed to meet the high demand for energy storage. Zinc batteries are ready to provide stationary storage and are on the threshold of developing e-mobility applications, all thanks to zinc’s abundance, secure and stable supply, recyclability, and competitive advantages.
Zinc is naturally plentiful around the world, with an estimated 63,000 million tonnes of zinc in the earth’s crust available for extraction. Moreover, zinc has strong supply chains in all major regions, with high production in North America, Europe, and Asia. Given this abundance and supply, zinc can ease the untenable demands placed on lithium, which is limited in supply and sourced largely from China. Given the energy transition’s growing demand for energy storage, alternatives to lithium, including abundant and secure zinc, must be a part of the equation.
Beyond zinc’s abundance and secure supply chain, most zinc batteries recycle well, and the zinc can be repurposed for batteries or other zinc products. According to a global stock and flow analysis by the International Zinc Association (IZA) and the Fraunhofer ISI Institute of 2022, zinc recycling has doubled while zinc mining remained constant and the end-of-life recycling rate for zinc has reached 34%. This zinc can be recovered without deteriorating and 39% of zinc going into use came from recycled sources in 2019. Zinc’s recycling and reuse rates are expected to increase as recycling techniques improve and more policies encouraging recycling are implemented.
Zinc is a natural contributor to the clean energy space, as zinc is non-toxic and a truly clean element. In addition, zinc batteries are non-flammable. And unlike lithium-ion batteries, they do not run the risk of thermal runaway or off-gassing, so there is no need to invest in thermal management or fire suppression systems.
Non-flammable zinc batteries are a popular choice for powering military jets and submarines. The US Navy has been a leader in promoting nickel-zinc batteries as the “clear frontrunner” to power the next generation of submarines. It has partnered with US-based ZAF Energy, a developer of nickel-zinc batteries, to develop its technology to meet the most exacting standards. ZincFive, another US-based developer of nickel-zinc batteries, is focusing on mission-critical data centre deployments where immediate high power is essential. Hybridising different chemistries, such as nickel-zinc for immediate power and zinc-air, zinc-bromine, or other technologies for long-duration energy storage, is another new approach to maximise the benefits of deployment.
Safe, sustainable zinc batteries also outperform competitors, providing a long cycle life, high specific energy, and maintenance-free operations. The average life of zinc batteries is nearly 20 years, more than 25% higher than lithium-ion batteries under the same conditions. This longer life lowers overall costs through reduced maintenance, replacement costs and more reliable performance. Zinc batteries do not sulfate or contain hazardous materials, so they do not require continuous monitoring for cell balance and safety while charging. Additionally, zinc batteries operate within a wide temperature range (-30C to 75C), significantly better than most other battery chemistries.
The energy transition, as well as the incentivising policies and funding surrounding it, are accelerating the development and manufacture of numerous zinc battery technologies. California company EnZinc, which has created a novel 3D zinc micro-sponge electrode, has expedited its battery development thanks to a $1.8 million award from the California Energy Commission to build a pilot anode manufacturing line. Once completed, EnZinc will build batteries for stationary storage in homes and commercial buildings as well as mobility applications including e-bikes, e-scooters and e-delivery vehicles.
The most recent incentives are provided by clean energy policies, such as the European Union’s REPowerEU plan, which sets clean energy targets to reduce reliance on Russian gas; and the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA); an unprecedented legislation providing nearly $370 billion in federal funding for cleantech. Canada’s Zinc8, a developer of zinc-air-flow technology, is the first zinc battery developer to take advantage of this landmark legislation.
IRA’s manufacturing production credits prompted Zinc8 to select Hudson Valley, New York, as the site of its first manufacturing plant. It will produce scalable zinc batteries with residential, commercial, and industrial applications.
Even without the benefit of a supporting partner or policy, zinc battery developers are fast-tracking their progress by increasing access to financing opportunities. Canadian e-Zinc, developer of a zinc-air battery, recently closed a $7 million venture debt facility with Silicon Valley Bank. The financing enables e-Zinc to expand and expedite the commercialisation of its new Ontario facility and advance its work with Toyota Tsusho Canada and the California Energy Commission.
Whether through partnerships, policy incentives or more accessible financing, zinc battery developers are leveraging their many assets to accelerate their role in the clean energy transition.
Zinc’s performance, coupled with its secure supply, safety and sustainability empower this promising technology to meet the very large demands of the energy transition.
The Zinc Battery Initiative (ZBI) is the voice of the zinc battery industry and a programme of the International Zinc Association. ZBI was formed in 2020 to promote the story of rechargeable zinc batteries and encourage further adoption of these products. Its members are the leading companies in the industry.
