A new generation of batteries that are more powerful, have higher power density and longer life, and are made entirely from bio-waste, recycled plastic, and recyclable metal, is giving conventional lithium-ion batteries tough competition in the renewable energy storage market.

Leading the charge is Brisbane-based company Zero Emissions Developments (ZED), which has developed the technology to create batteries from a wonder carbon-based material called graphene in an emissions-free way, and is set to transform the solar energy industry by offering a sustainable, cleaner and more reliable energy storage solution.

It was the environmental impact of petroleum that made them think about finding an effective energy storage solution, says ZED’s CEO and principal engineer Ahmed El Safty, who has over 37 years of experience in the energy sector with considerable exposure to the petroleum industry.

Called PowerCap, the hybrid graphene battery has been more than a decade in development and is currently being trialled in in the industrial, commercial and residential markets.

Described as a pseudocapacitor battery with a hybrid electro-chemical and electro-static architecture, PowerCap features metal oxides on one side of the asymmetrical cell, and graphene or graphitic carbon on the anode side. Compared to standard lithium-ion batteries, ZED’s graphene battery innovation is more powerful, has two to three times more power density, gives a similar energy density, is lighter, and very importantly, doesn’t carry the fire risk of a lithium battery.

In terms of environmental benefits, PowerCap uses metal oxides from metals that can be recycled at end of life, while the graphene comes from bio-waste as well as plastic and tyre waste.

“Effectively the carbon footprint of the battery itself is very low, and secondly, it makes it 100 percent recyclable at the end of its life, which is about 30 years. Our standard warranty is 20 years for the product because we can get 18,000 cycles before it drops down to below 80 percent of its capacity,” says Safty.

The PowerCap technology is third party tested and certified by TUV Germany to international standards, he added.

PowerCap hybrid graphene batteries are now being installed in homes, and commercial and industrial facilities. “We put them in forklifts. We're in the process of putting them in electric vehicles. We're developing one for the Department of Defence for a defence missile program and we're also developing a couple of others for homeland security in the USA.”

Will the design of new houses in Australia have to be modified to make this technology viable?

Not at all, says Safty. “So long as you have a roof that's preferably facing north, you can actually collect sufficient solar to be able to run your house for the whole 24-hour period even though your collection period may be limited to a few hours during the day when the sun’s up.”

The battery has a small footprint and can be installed in the garage or any other outdoor space. The excess stored energy can be used after sundown or when it’s cloudy to keep you going. Most architects already understand the benefits of having the roof structure facing the right way to maximise the amount of solar production, he added.

Given the limitless potential for application, when will PowerCap be available commercially?

According to Safty, ZED is in the middle of raising capital that would enable them to increase the scale of production. PowerCap is being trialled in both stationary and mobile applications, covering homes and commercial and industrial facilities as well as golf carts, forklifts and electric vehicles. The company will be going public at the end of the year, and is also building a 100 MWh/year battery plant in Bowen, QLD, with the factory construction to be completed sometime later this year.

ZED is planning to establish a larger plant in the US on the East Coast to meet the potential demand from the American and European markets.

Future plans will also include working with solar panel manufacturers to supply solar panels that come built-in with the PowerCap battery technology.

For the full podcast interview with ZED’s CEO and principal engineer Ahmed El Safty, click here.

Branko Miletic

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