Advanced Battery Developer Enzinc Wins Global Automotive and Mobility Innovation Challenge

Advanced Battery Developer Enzinc Wins Global Automotive and Mobility Innovation Challenge

by | Apr 27, 2022 | Press Release

Advanced technology repurposes existing lead acid manufacturing infrastructure to expedite the deployment of better batteries

RICHMOND, Calif.:  Enzinc Inc., an advanced rechargeable zinc battery developer, was selected for a competitive $1.8 million California Energy Commission (CEC) BRIDGE award to further develop its zinc batteries for stationary and mobility uses. After approval, the proceeds, along with $1.0 million of matching funds, will be used to design and test a long duration stationary battery and build out a pilot anode manufacturing line.

“If we are to electrify everything, we need batteries that use easily-sourced materials and can be scaled rapidly. Being selected for BRIDGE shows the rising awareness that we can’t place all of our energy storage bets on lithium technologies,” said Michael Burz, founder and CEO of Enzinc. “Today’s $60 billion lead-acid battery market can play a larger role in the energy transition by converting existing factories to use Enzinc’s drop-in technology and make more powerful, higher margin and longer lasting batteries.”

Batteries with Enzinc’s zinc microsponge anode’s safe, non-flammable materials will make it ideal for stationary energy storage inside homes and commercial buildings and adjacent to critical energy infrastructure. Additionally, it will be ideal for mobility including e-bikes, e-scooters, electric delivery vehicles and other electric vehicles with moderate ranges, as well as be able to replace the lead acid battery that all vehicles use for starter motors and other systems.

“The EPIC programs available at each stage of a clean energy company’s development and commercialization are creating a vibrant and innovative industry in California,” Burz said. “We are honored to have been a recipient of these vital awards at key points in our company’s growth and to be selected for BRIDGE.”

The Bringing Rapid Innovation Development to Green Energy, or BRIDGE, awards are funded by the Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) program, which will grant up to a total of $57.3 million over four rounds. Enzinc and four other companies were selected for the proposed final round of funding, contingent on final approval at a CEC business meeting.

Previously, Enzinc has received CalSEED Phase I and II awards, together worth $600,000, and a $292,000 CalTestBed voucher for product testing. The selection follows Enzinc’s announcements that it has formed an Industry Advisory Group with global leaders in battery production, use and recycling, and that it won the Global Automotive and Mobility Innovation Challenge, GAMIC, at the SAE International World Congress Experience.

Leading Clean Energy Companies Team with Advanced Energy Storage Innovator Enzinc

Leading Clean Energy Companies Team with Advanced Energy Storage Innovator Enzinc

by | Jan 17, 2022 | Press Release

Enzinc names key teaming partners for advanced zinc battery testing through the CalTestBed program

RICHMOND, Calif.: Enzinc Inc., an advanced battery technology developer bringing rechargeable zinc batteries to market, announced today that it has teaming agreements in place with leading energy companies for its third-party product testing. The testing is being done at University of California Riverside’s facilities through a CalTestBed award valued at $292,000.

The teaming partners include power backup provider to the global telecom industry BASE Technologies, EV charging SaaS company ChargeNet Stations, as well as a global battery manufacturer, a leading electric bike brand, and an international waste and recycling provider, which are teaming with Enzinc confidentially.

“It’s a vote of confidence in this technology’s potential that a number of companies are teaming with Enzinc during its testing phase,” said Danny Kennedy, chief energy officer of New Energy Nexus. “We’re thrilled that our programs are giving startups like Enzinc a leg up to innovate the way batteries are manufactured and deployed. We need to see more of this if we’re to accelerate the clean energy transition and electrify our economy.”

“Our teaming partners will ensure that our battery’s testing protocols reflect many of the use cases expected for advanced batteries with ‘Enzinc Inside’,” said Michael Burz, Enzinc founder and CEO. “The CalTestBed award will enable us to test how batteries with our exclusive zinc microsponge anode perform in key applications including e-bikes and other electric mobility, stationary power back up, and grid-tied and microgrid energy storage.”

Enzinc has been awarded a voucher near the maximum $300,000 value, which enables Enzinc to work with the expert team at U.C. Riverside’s battery testing facility. The third-party testing program both ensures Enzinc’s advanced battery design will be shaped by real world needs and demonstrates each partner’s commitment to innovation.

Rebecca Wolkoff, CTO at ChargeNet, looks forward to testing their software with the Enzinc hardware, “We are both committed to creating safe, affordable and sustainable energy storage. We appreciate that our ChargeNet team can provide guidance and feedback on the application of Enzinc’s technology.”

The competitive CalTestBed initiative is funded through California Energy Commission’s Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) program to speed the commercialization of clean energy technologies. It funds third-party testing at world-class facilities at nine University of California campuses and one national laboratory. The program is led by New Energy Nexus in partnership with the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Enzinc’s zinc micro sponge anode will power a family of high-performance rechargeable batteries. The anode’s structure allows the battery to provide more than three times the energy and have three times the lifespan of lead acid batteries while costing about the same, and it operates through a wider temperature range than lithium-based batteries. The battery is totally recyclable, much safer to use than either lead- or lithium-based batteries and uses zinc, a common material with no supply chain constraints.

This comes after the recent announcement that former president of Robert Bosch GmbH’s Powertrain Solutions Division and chief of its Progressive Mobility Players team, Stefan Seiberth, joined Enzinc’s senior advisory team.

Former Bosch Executive Joins Zinc Battery Developer Enzinc’s Senior Advisory Team

Former Bosch Executive Joins Zinc Battery Developer Enzinc’s Senior Advisory Team

by | Dec 6, 2021 | Press Release

Powertrain solutions expert sees advanced zinc batteries as critical for electric mobility’s future

RICHMOND, Calif.:  Enzinc Inc., an advanced battery technology developer bringing rechargeable zinc batteries to market, announced that former president of Robert Bosch GmbH’s Powertrain Solutions division, Stefan Seiberth, has joined its board of senior advisors. The announcement comes as the energy company continues to scale up its prototype zinc-anodes, moving from button cells to pouch cells.

“Stefan’s expertise in the mobility sector brings valuable perspective as we refine our initial prototype battery for electric bicycles,” said Michael Burz, Enzinc founder and CEO. “Zinc-based batteries will fit mobility applications from scooters to urban electric vehicles and Stefan’s insights and deep industry connections will further validate our business model and shape our go to market strategy.”

Seiberth recently retired from Robert Bosch. In his role as president of its Powertrain Solutions division, he led an 88,000-person global team that brought all the organization’s drivetrain competence into a single organization, including emobility for more than ten years. Later, he was chief of its Progressive Mobility Players team. Prior to this role, Seiberth led several innovative business units and a regional organization. He holds a Dipl.-Ing. degree from Stuttgart University.

“It’s shortsighted to assume that lithium is the right and only battery chemistry for all applications,” said Seiberth. “I see zinc as filling a critical need for safe, compact batteries that operate under a wider temperature range, without the supply chain challenges of lithium or the toxic waste of lead. Zinc-based batteries have the potential to not only meet many e-mobility needs but also displace lead acid batteries in traditional applications.”

Enzinc’s rechargeable zinc sponge anode technology allows zinc, for the first time, to be used in a family of high-performance rechargeable batteries. The anode’s structure allows the battery to provide more than three times the energy and have two to three times the lifespan of lead acid batteries while costing about the same. The battery is totally recyclable and much safer to use than either lead- or lithium-based batteries.

Zinc Battery Developer Enzinc Wins CalSEED Phase II Clean Energy Startup Award

Zinc Battery Developer Enzinc Wins CalSEED Phase II Clean Energy Startup Award

by | Feb 12, 2021 | Press Release

Company wins $450,000 grant, announces prototype surpassed 500 cycles

RICHMOND, Calif.: EnZinc, a clean battery technology developer, and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory have been published in the prestigious Science magazine on their work to develop a unique three-dimensional (3D) zinc electrode. The research aims to bring a safer, more affordable rechargeable battery to market for electric vehicles, ebikes, and home and grid energy storage.

“This breakthrough in rechargeable battery technology means that zinc has the potential to displace lithium because it is a safer, more affordable, and more readily available material,” said President and CEO of EnZinc, Michael Burz. “Large battery-powered electronics from electric vehicles to home energy storage will be able to be powered by cleaner, fully recyclable zinc-based batteries—and they’ll carry none of the fire risk of lithium-based batteries.”

The report is the culmination of six years of development on a unique 3D zinc sponge structure that for the first time allows zinc, the fourth most mined metal on the planet, to be used as an anode in a rechargeable high-performance battery. The 3D zinc material is inherently safe and totally recyclable, offering a number of advantages over lead acid and lithium ion batteries.

Researchers have tried to make a rechargeable zinc anode since Edison first patented it in the 1900s. However, dendrites—stalactite-like growths that short out a zinc battery when it was recharged—shortened the cycle life of zinc, limiting it to disposable batteries or complex fuel cells. This structure of this new 3D zinc anode eliminates the issue, resulting in a battery that will offer performance comparable to Li-ion batteries with a price more like lead-acid batteries. This new anode can be coupled with various cathode materials to produce a family of batteries for multiple applications ranging from electric vehicles to grid energy storage.

Their work was partially funded from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) Robust Affordable Next Generation Energy Storage Program, the remaining funding from the Office of Naval Research and private funding.

Enzinc and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Sign License Deal for New 3D Zinc Battery Technology

Enzinc and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Sign License Deal for New 3D Zinc Battery Technology

by | Jun 16, 2017 | Press Release

From the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Press Office

WASHINGTON, DC:  The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has signed a commercial licensing agreement with Enzinc to commercialize the 3D zinc sponge anode technology in a nickel-zinc battery for certain applications. The license gives Enzinc the exclusive rights to all electric road vehicles (from two wheel to multiwheel), hybrid vehicles, start-stop vehicles, and microgrids/distributed grids up to 60MW.

This technology was revealed in the peer-reviewed Science magazine article dated 28 April 2017. “There is significant interest in our plans to commercialize this technology for two such important areas of the renewable marketplace: electric vehicles and microgrids,” said Michael Burz, CEO and founder of Enzinc. “We look forward to continuing our association with the USNRL, one of the nation’s preeminent research laboratories.”

The 3D Zinc sponge anode technology is the first to enable common, safe and low-cost zinc to be used in a high-performance rechargeable battery. Zinc-based batteries will be as powerful as lithium–based batteries with none of the potential for fire, and will be lighter and less toxic than lead-based batteries. Past attempts to make rechargeable zinc batteries have involved pumped zinc slurries, substantially limiting applications and adding complexity and maintenance issues.