California Zinc-ion Energy Storage Development and Validation Project
Salient Energy Inc.
Recipient
Recipient Location
$1,517,384
Amount Spent
Active
Project Status
Project Update
This project was completed in March 2025.
All of the technical tasks including the installation, operation, and testing of a demonstration unit have been completed. Despite numerous technical and economic challenges (discovery of new failure modes, capacity degradation over the course of the project, and manufacturing quality issues for instance), this research and the technology demonstration have yielded valuable insights into the viability of Zn-ion residential energy storage systems, and have improved understanding of system performance, economics, safety, manufacturability, and production readiness.
View Final ReportThe Issue
To help diversify and improve the safety of energy storage technology, there is an immediate need to bring non-lithium-ion technologies that are low-cost, abundant, and safe to California and develop them for applications on the customer side of the meter. Developing non-lithium-ion solutions will help California meet important renewable energy goals to produce carbon-free electricity by 2045, as well as help reduce costs, provide resilience, and significantly improve safety.
Project Innovation
The project developed, field tested, and validated the recipient’s rechargeable zinc-ion battery applications for the customer-side of the meter to diversify and improve battery storage technology in California. The Recipient developed a purpose-built non-lithium-ion battery for residential applications that has the potential to be cheaper, safer, longer lasting, and more efficiently produced than a lithium-ion battery. The zinc-ion energy storage battery combines high energy density, long cycle life, and the ability to quickly charge and discharge, making the technology a safer and superior energy storage solution for California customers.
Project Goals
Project Benefits
This project aimed to advance a zinc-ion battery storage solution for customer-side of-the-meter applications with a focus on safety, cost-effectiveness, and performance. It was intended to support peak load reduction and greater use of renewable energy. The project also sought to diversify California’s energy storage technology options.
Affordability
The project will help reduce costs and address peak load reduction and shifting through energy storage. Ratepayers will be able to store energy during low-cost hours for use during high-cost hours. Cost reductions will depend on use case(s) for the system, but the low cost of zinc-ion improves the rate of return by lowering system cost.
Environmental Sustainability
The zinc-ion battery systems will also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful pollutants. Less expensive energy storage technology will drive further deployments of energy storage technology, enabling California to generate more electricity from renewable resources, which will help dramatically reduce emissions. Energy storage technology will deliver energy that will replace energy produced by fossil fuels.
Key Project Members
Kendal Wilson
Subrecipients
Flagstaff Research
Match Partners
Salient Energy Inc.
