Having heard rumblings of zinc battery potential for months, I was excited for the opportunity to speak with an expert on the subject: Dr. Josef Daniel-Ivad. As Head of the Zinc Battery Initiative, he has spent years researching zinc’s abilities and potential to become a leading material in energy storage. Up to now, the dominance of Lithium-Ion batteries has garnered significant coverage and investment. However, Dr. Daniel-Ivad outlined that Zinc batteries are a complementary source, offering energy storage solutions that cannot be accommodated with lithium-ion batteries.
Zinc is particularly suited for long-duration energy storage. While zinc could help to solve this glaring need in the transition to renewable energy, this will require tremendous reserves of zinc. One of the most advantageous aspects of Zinc, along with energy density, is availability. Compared to Lithium, where the natural resource is found predominantly in South America, and the refinement and manufacturing are dominated by China, Zinc’s supply chain is far more open. To that end, Zinc is mined and refined in 50 countries, providing a broad supply chain for the growing market. Additionally, zinc batteries use a water-based system, so there is no fear of their catching fire or contributing to a fire’s growth. This makes them an excellent option for indoor storage or locations where safety is a predominant concern.