LIFE ZAESS aims to demonstrate an innovative energy storage technology based on zinc–air batteries, capable of addressing the increasing penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources.

This innovative zinc–air flow battery combines the advantages of metal–air batteries and flow batteries. Its key benefitsinclude:

• Improved rechargeability and service life
• Reduced energy losses during the storage process
• Increased total system capacity, making it suitable for gridscale renewable energy storage
• Lower production costs, as it is based on lowcost and abundant materials

From a technical perspective, the demonstration phase will validate the scalability of the technology, moving from laboratory scale to a system capacity in the range of 1 to 4 kWh.

From an economic standpoint, a conceptual engineering study for a megawattscale (MW) plant is expected to yield capital costs between €2,000 and €3,000 per kW, a cost target commonly accepted for gridscale energy storage systems in the short to medium term.

In addition, a comprehensive environmental impact assessment will be conducted, covering the entire life cycle of MWscale energy storage plants based on zinc–air technology, including a detailed analysis of their environmental footprint and carbon footprint.