Pioneering Zinc-Based Long-Duration Storage
India-origin deep-tech company Offgrid Energy Labs has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Keele University in the UK. The partnership aims to deploy the company's patented ZincGel® long-duration energy storage (LDES) technology in a pilot project at the university's Low Carbon Energy Generation Park. This initiative will be the UK’s first zinc-LDES project using batteries manufactured entirely in the UK, specifically at Offgrid Energy Labs’ facility in Hook, Hampshire.
Technical Specifications of ZincGel®
The ZincGel® technology is based on proprietary zinc-bromine chemistry, offering a flexible 6-to-16-hour discharge window. Crucially, it uses zinc and bromine instead of lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare-earth materials. This chemistry is designed as a non-flammable energy storage solution, addressing some of the primary safety concerns associated with traditional lithium-ion systems.
The pilot will deploy the battery system in a fully islanded configuration to capture and store around 1 MWh of surplus renewable energy monthly, assessing safety, deep-discharge capability, and round-trip performance.
Evaluating Performance and Future Expansion
The evaluation goals of the pilot are comprehensive. The system will assess its ability to manage renewable energy curtailment against seasonal variations. Based on the findings from this initial deployment, the partners plan to develop a proposal for a larger multi-MWh ZincGel® deployment at Keele University. This expanded project aims to store excess renewable electricity that would otherwise be curtailed across the campus. By utilizing abundant materials and ensuring local manufacturing, Offgrid Energy Labs is positioning ZincGel as a scalable, secure alternative for the UK's decarbonization efforts and the future of sustainable, long-duration grid storage.
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