(Image via Zinc8 Energy Solutions Inc.)
The tech industry is abuzz over Battery Day, September 22nd, 2020.
Many companies in the tech market have a number of exciting things planned, including
Zinc8 Energy Solutions Inc. (CSE: ZAIR, OTC: MGXRF, FSE:0E9, Forum).
The Company, which is in the later stage of pre-full stage commercialization, is advancing a unique solution to resolve the
intermittent and unpredictable nature of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar.
Its zinc- air energy storage system provides the lowest cost of battery storage in the market for long-duration applications. This is possible because its architecture is modular, which means it has decoupled energy and power and can be scaled from 8 hours to 100+ with a capital cost per installed kilowatt hour (kWh) reducing as you increase the energy storage duration. The materials for the storage system are abundant and can be sourced domestically which contributes to our North American economy. When combined with renewables, zinc-air storage delivers a safe, cost effective, and resilient source of power.
As jurisdictions around the globe shift toward renewable energy sources and adopt electric vehicles, there is a growing need for secure and reliable power.
Patented energy storage technology that decouples the link between energy and power:
A leader in cost per kWh for long-duration energy storage, ZAIR’s tech is a unique zinc-air energy storage system that uses zinc and air as fuel. The Company is in the development and commercialization of a dependable low-cost zinc-air battery. This mass storage system offers both environmental and efficiency benefits.
The Company’s chief proprietary technology is its modular Energy Storage System (ESS), which is designed to deliver power in the 20kW – 50 MW range with a capacity of eight hours of storage duration or more.
Currently in pre-commercialization, Zinc8 is working toward full commercialization by 2023, with the first battery scheduled to be deployed by Q4 2020.
There is also an added advantage of the rechargeable zinc-air flow battery technology. It is a system that can be configured to support a wide range of long-duration applications for microgrids and utilities. The size of the zinc storage tank determines the energy storage capacity, which makes it a very cost-effective and scalable solution now exists as an alternative to the fixed power/energy ratio of the lithium ion battery.
This is a unique approach to power storage with abundant, low-cost raw materials that are safe and environmentally friendly.
(The True-Flow ESS. Image via Zinc8 Energy Solutions Inc.)
The technology:
Based upon unique patented zinc-air battery technology, the Zinc8 ESS stores energy as zinc particles, which are about the size of a grain of sand. These zinc particles are combined with oxygen drawn from the surrounding air when it is delivering power. The oxygen is then returned to the air around it when the system is in its recharging mode and the zinc particles are regenerated.
The duration that this technology is capable of is practically unmatched. There is an incredible cost savings of the Zinc8 airflow battery over a longer duration, which is essential to utilities and localized green power providers. See the chart below for more:
(Chart via Zinc8 Energy Solutions Inc.)
The applications:
This Zinc8 ESS system is very flexible and can service numerous applications, such as:
- Smoothing energy derived from renewable sources such as wind and solar
- Commercial/Industrial backup replacing diesel generators
- Industrial and grid scale, on-demand power for peak shaving and standby reserves
- Grid-scale services such as alleviating grid congestion, deferring transmission/distribution upgrades, energy trading and arbitrage, and increasing renewable energy penetration
The architecture:
Designed according to a modular architecture that can enable a wide array of system configurations, the Zinc8 ESS was intended to integrate with a small number of common subsystems. Each of those subsystems utilizes an element of the ESS’ technology:
- The Zinc Regeneration Subsystem (ZRS) provides the recharging function
- The Fuel Storage Subsystem (FSS) provides the energy storage function
- The Power Generation Subsystem (PGS) provides the discharging function
Charged up for Battery Day:
Carrying a proverbial torch from a similar event last year, Battery Day is seen both as a platform for Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) to showcase its battery capability to the masses, while also serving as a driver to boost its already high stock value, while also likely to boost valuations for other companies in this space. A lot of eyes will be on this event and the subsequent activity thereafter.
With the anticipated increase in electricity demand for new long-distance car batteries, utilities providers need to look at energy storage capable of delivering power over long periods of time and deep energy storage to augment the current grid.
Zinc8 is working with the largest power authority in the US – The New York Power Authority – to develop a meaningful and impactful solution to help absorb some of this growing demand. The Company’s Zinc-Air Energy Storage System was selected through a competitive process to develop a demonstration project for back-up power for a municipal building or a building on a college campus.
The Company also began a private sector partnership project with New York-based Digital Energy supported by NYSERDA for a 100kW/1.5MWh Zinc-Air Battery energy storage system to be deployed in Brooklyn.
Following this, Zinc8 established a wholly owned US subsidiary in New York state named Zinc8 Energy Solutions (USA) Inc., which Company President and Chief Executive Officer, Ron MacDonald stated in a news release demonstrates that the Government and businesses of New York State are the right partners to develop the US market for our technology, especially when coupled with its acceptance into the ACRE Incubator program at the Urban Future Lab.
“Our decision to establish our U.S presence in New York State is a logical next step as we advance towards full commercialization over the next 24 months.”
Investment highlights:
Energy storage is the key to the “green revolution”, this much is clear. What the world needs, is a storage battery that is both powerful over a long period of time, with a low cost. What Zinc8 provides, can pave the way for a streamlined integration of renewable energy into the grid and yield a solid opportunity for producers to earn an economic advantage and produce power at the best possible price.
The market opportunity for multi-megawatt upgrades to transmission and development deferrals to the support the transition a carbon-free cities and states is seen as a global opportunity of a $11.4 trillion by 2050, according to Zinc8 data. There is also commercial and industrial peak and backup power demand in the US at $350 billion, according to the US Department of Energy. Remote microgrids provide support for renewable energy baseloads, such as wind and solar where $42 Billion is forecast to be spent by 2030.
(Image via Zinc8 Energy Solutions Inc.)
Zinc8 is led by CEO MacDonald, an executive with more than 35 years of both public and private sector experience, ranging from international roles within the Parliament of Canada to heading publicly listed resource companies. He previously served as President of NRStor Remote Communities and Mines, who partners with off-grid Indigenous communities and mines to develop renewable energy and energy storage projects.
(Zinc8 Energy Solutions Inc. stock chart – June – September 2020. Click to enlarge.)
Shares in ZAIR have seen a steady climb since the beginning of the summer and are sitting comfortably at $0.25 but could likely rise even higher in the near future.
The Company just finalized its non-brokered private placement of 8,750,000 shares at of $0.16 per share for gross proceeds of $1.4 million. The proceeds of this financing are earmarked for general working capital and will also go toward the development of pilot projects.
As its leadership team pursues other utilities who want to capitalize on deferring high capital costs towards long-term green energy solutions, Zinc8 has been seeing more and more interest from a number of other parties, specifically large utilities and renewable developers who have been looking for an economic solution that provides long duration energy storage. Now that it is commercially available, it is Zinc8’s time to shine.
For more details on Zinc8 and to view a short video outlining the Company’s technology, visit: zinc8energy.com.
FULL DISCLOSURE: This is a paid article produced by Stockhouse Publishing.