POWER and RE+ Tech Supp September 2022 - 17

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.POWERMAG.COM
When the energy needs are largescale,
zinc-air batteries are particularly
suited to meet the challenge. Zinc-air
batteries come in either flow or nonflow
varieties, and both types can be
scaled to fit any system and cost very
little for long-duration storage. One
of the first applications of zinc-air nonflow
rechargeable batteries will be located
just north of Los Angeles. The
California Energy Commission awarded
manufacturer e-Zinc a $1.3-million
grant to demonstrate its long-duration
battery for the commercial and industrial
market.
3. Rendering of e-Zinc's energy storage
system for microgrids. Courtesy: Zinc Battery
Initiative
E-Zinc's batteries (Figure 3) will be
deployed in 2023 at Houweling's, a
commercial greenhouse in Camarillo,
California. The site already hosts
a 1-MW solar array; the zinc batteries
will capture the solar energy and discharge
it during peak hours as well
as to power irrigation at night. When
blackouts threaten, the batteries shift
to backup power mode. The initial installation
is estimated at 40 kilowatts
with 24 to 48 hours of duration.
New York City Project
Zinc-air flow batteries currently are
being put to the test in New York City,
which has partnered with manufacturer
Zinc8 to install a zinc-air energy storage
system in a residential, 32-building
community in Queens. The Queens
project, which is developed in partnership
with New York-based combined
heat and power developer Digital Energy
Corp. and real estate company
Fresh Meadows Community Apartments,
will see Zinc8 deploy a battery
capable of at least eight hours of
storage at the housing development.
The battery will draw power from onsite
solar and the combined heat and
power system and deploy it to minimize
drawing power from the grid at
peak times during the day. These rechargeable
zinc-air flow batteries have
a 15- to 20-year lifespan.
Rechargeable zinc batteries also
work well on small projects to provide
backup power to individual homes
or businesses, and zinc-ion batteries
work well for this purpose. Like lithium
ions in a lithium-ion battery, the zinc
ions carry the charge between both
electrodes by absorbing zinc ions.
The battery uses a mild electrolyte
that enables thousands of recharges.
By operating in the same manner
as lithium-ion batteries, zinc-ion
batteries can be assembled on the
same production lines, so that these
zinc-ion batteries can be quickly and
inexpensively scaled to produce a
non-flammable, cheaper version of
the lithium-ion battery.
Each zinc-ion battery is designed to
store energy for as long as six hours,
with the purchase of multiple batteries
extending that time frame. Home
or small business owners can use the
energy storage to consume excess
solar during the day and then power
consumption at night. Customers also
may use solar panels to lower electricity
costs by utilizing power stored
in zinc batteries during the periods of
peak rates.
Homebuilder Signs On
The California Energy Commission
has selected zinc-ion batteries produced
by Salient for a residential energy
storage demonstration (Figure 4) as
a safe, cost-effective alternative to lithium-ion
batteries. Further, sustainable
homebuilder Horton World Solutions
(HWS) has chosen Salient Energy's
zinc-ion battery storage system for installation
in 200,000 planned homes.
In the past, HWS used lithium-ion batteries,
until concerns about fire safety
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and supply prompted the company to
turn to Salient's fire-safe battery, composed
of naturally abundant zinc.
4. Rendering of Salient's home energy
storage system. Courtesy: Zinc Battery Initiative
All
the various zinc battery chemistries
will be needed to meet the
growing energy demands of the 21st
century. Zinc batteries are expected to
comprise 10% of the storage market
by 2030, according to energy analyst
Avicenne Consulting.
Beyond the simple need for more
storage, zinc batteries afford better
storage, thanks to zinc's abundance,
low cost, safety, and sustainability. In
addition, zinc batteries are low-maintenance,
long-lasting, and work in a
broad range of temperatures and applications.
Whether the grid stationary
storage needs are large or small, rechargeable
zinc batteries play a pivotal
role in grid reliability.n
-Dr. Josef Daniel-Ivad is manager of
the Zinc Battery Initiative, the voice
of the growing zinc battery industry.
ZBI formed in 2020 as an arm of the
International Zinc Association and
represents rechargeable zinc batteries
with their many unique chemistries
and various applications. Members
of ZBI include some of the leading
companies in the zinc battery sector,
including ZincFive, Zinc8, Salient
Energy, Urban Electric Power, e-Zinc,
Redflow, Enzinc, Enerpoly, ZAF Energy
Systems, AEsir Technologies, Inc.,
Imprint Energy, and Zēlos Energy.
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POWER and RE+ Tech Supp September 2022

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