Enerpoly, EET get €870K EU grant for 'ZincMate' energy storage device project
Swedish zinc-battery startup Enerpoly and Austrian smart photovoltaic startup EET (Efficient Energy Technology) have received € 870K in grant funding under the EU's Eurostars-3 program for SMEs that supports international collaboration in research and innovation.
The collaborative project 'ZincMate' domestic energy storage solution will drive the development and commercialization of an energy storage device that can be adopted by all households in Europe, according to the companies. The EU funding, originated from Vinnova and FFG Austrian Research Promotion Agency, contributes to the total project budget of €1.74 million.
ZincMate's energy storage solution fits with EU's energy initiatives including the REPowerEU's goals of energy savings and accelerating the roll-out of renewable energy to replace fossil fuels in homes and in power generation, they add.
Enerpoly claims that ZincMate can be used in domesitc households, including apartments, small living spaces, and shared housing. The technical basis for ZincMate is EET's on-grid technology, in combination with Enerpoly's cost-effective battery.
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"Rising electricity bills and energy security are increasingly concerning issues for Europe. Everyone, whether homeowners or tenants, should have the ability to generate, store and access renewable energy without breaking the bank. ZincMate offers an affordable, safe, and easy-to-use energy generation plus storage product. By working with EET, we're taking a decisive step towards making clean energy accessible to all", said Eloisa de Castro, CEO of Enerpoly.
The company is developing zinc-ion batteries using non-critical materials that can be domestically sourced in the EU. EET, on the other hand, makes photovoltaic systems with energy storage that can be simply plugged into a wall outlet for homeowners and tenants to produce their own renewable electricity.
Dr. Christoph Grimmer, CEO of EET, said on the development, "The strategic partnership with Enerpoly is the next step towards a safe, simple, and reliable energy supply for every household. Currently, EET's SolMate device is equipped with a state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery and it's obvious that battery technology needs to improve. Moving to zinc-ion technology for residential applications is the next step in the right direction".
The prototypes of a plug-in storage system with rechargeable zinc batteries will be produced in the project. The project commences this year, and will run for 2 years, including testing phase in both laboratory and home environments.
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