Zinc Batteries for Sustainable Energy Storage
New review study highlights the potential of rechargeable zinc batteries for use in stationary energy storage systems. In addition to technical challenges and possible solutions, the study also compares the material costs and carbon footprint of various zinc systems.
01 September 2025 – Scientists from Helmholtz Institute Münster (HI MS) and the Institute of Energy Technologies (IET-1) at Forschungszentrum Jülich, as well as the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy at the University of Münster, have jointly published a comprehensive review article highlighting the potential of rechargeable zinc batteries as a promising technology for stationary energy storage solutions.
The study covers the historical development of the zinc battery and the current state of research, as well as technical challenges and possible solutions at the cell and material level. In addition to zinc-metal and zinc-air batteries, zinc redox flow systems were also investigated, the latter in comparison with vanadium redox flow batteries, which are the most common redox flow systems in industry.
Focus on Cost-Effectiveness and Ecological Balance
A particular added value of the work lies in the first-ever comparative evaluation of all three types of zinc batteries in terms of material costs and carbon footprint. The results show that zinc-metal and zinc-air batteries could be both more cost-effective than conventional lithium-ion batteries as stationary energy storage systems and offer significant potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They therefore make an important contribution to the energy transition not only technologically, but also ecologically and economically.
Why Zinc?
Zinc is not only widely available geologically, but can also be efficiently recycled through existing recycling structures – for example, from the construction sector or commercially available batteries. In addition, the use of water as an electrolyte enables safe and environmentally friendly cell chemistry. Commercial rechargeable zinc systems already existed in the 1970s and are now regaining relevance thanks to new developments.
Interdisciplinary Cooperation as a Factor of Success
The project is the result of close cooperation between electrochemical basic research, technology development and economic evaluation. This interdisciplinary perspective was crucial in order to comprehensively assess the overall potential of zinc-based batteries. The cooperation between Helmholtz Institute Münster and IET-1, both at Forschungszentrum Jülich, as well as the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy at the University of Münster, is to be further expanded in the future.
Study Published in the Journal Advanced Energy Materials
The detailed results of their study were published by the researchers Janik Rupert, Prof. Dr Jens Leker, from Helmholtz Institute Münster of Forschungszentrum Jülich and the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy at the University of Münster, Luca Stegemann, also from the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy at the University of Münster, Dr Alexander Bauer, Dr Emre Durmus, Dr Hermann Tempel, Dr Anna Windmüller from the Institute of Energy Technologies (IET-1) at Forschungszentrum Jülich, Dr Peter Bieker, Dr Mariano Grünebaum, Dr Kerstin Neuhaus from Helmholtz Institute Münster, Prof. Dr Martin Winter from Helmholtz Institute Münster and MEET Battery Research Center at the University of Münster, and Prof. Dr Rüdiger Eichel, from the Institute for Energy Technologies and RWTH Aachen University, as an open access article in the journal Advanced Energy Materials.