Zinc-air cells, utility-scale energy storage sol'n

Eos Energy Storage has been working on an energy storage technology that the company said is its response to meet utility-scale battery needs. The Eos Aurora is a zinc-air battery that is electrically rechargeable with a life of over 10,000 cycles (30 years), added the company.

Energy efficiency and costs are crucial when it comes energy storage, stated Eos Energy. The ability to get as much useful energy out compared to the energy we put in, without having to repair or replace the storage system too often is imperative. In addition to this, frequency and speed of charge and discharge, as well as lifetime, are factors that all should be considered.

Eos Energy is working on a rechargeable zinc-air battery to answer utility-scale energy requirements.

There are several promising methods to solving the problem of utility-scale energy storage. Previously, storing energy chemically in batteries was not as applicable on the larger scale as it is with small electrical appliances. Grid scale batteries would cost a fortune. In light of this, Eos Energy has begun working on zinc-air batteries.

According to the company, since the energy released and stored with a chemical reaction where zinc is oxidized with oxygen from the air compared to conventional batteries, containing two reactants, the energy density is vastly improved. In theory, a zinc-air battery can store several times the amount of energy other batteries can. Moreover, Zinc, as well as the other materials used to build these types of batteries, is all relatively low-cost compared to competing battery technologies, added Eos Energy.

In addition to utility-scale, the zinc-air battery holds a lot of promises in the electrical vehicle market. Electrical vehicles will be more prominent in the coming years, pushing the development for the technology, eventually leading to more efficient and cost-competitive zinc-air batteries, noted the company.

Eos Energy Storage has promised their first grid-scale batteries on the market within 2013, at one third of the costs of lithium-ion batteries. It will initially be sold for $1000/kW and $160/kWh.