GRILLO leads ZACK zinc‑ion battery project

Project scope

The ZACK collaborative research project aims to develop zinc‑ion battery technology for stationary energy storage using water‑based acidic electrolytes derived from sustainable raw materials, intended as an economical and sustainable long‑term alternative to lithium‑ion batteries.

Consortium and technical tasks

GRILLO Zinc Powder GmbH coordinates the consortium and is responsible for developing innovative anode materials. Other partners handle separator design and interface stabilisation (Freudenberg Performance Materials), electrolyte and additive development (Dr. Hesse), cell development and cost analysis (Fraunhofer ISE), model‑based assessment and electrode stabilisation (Institute for Photovoltaics, University of Stuttgart), and cathode active materials and electrode development (DECHEMA Research Institute).

Funding and timeline

The project is funded under the 8th Energy Research Programme by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy using funds from the Climate and Transformation Fund (KTF) and runs for three years until June 2029.

Kick‑off and next steps

The project launch in early July brought partners together to align technical work packages, define shared objectives and set the foundations for collaboration; associated partners acp systems AG and Helmut Hechinger GmbH & Co. KG will advise on industrial production planning and scaling.