K.P. Meagher
The BESSt Company,
United States
Keywords: REDOX, DFM and ZnI2
Summary:
A Highly Densified, Aqueous Zinc Polyiodide (ZnI₂) Flow Battery Platform for Safe, U.S.-Manufacturable Long-Duration Energy Storage. The BESSt Company’s zinc polyiodide (ZnI₂) redox-flow battery demonstrates optimal properties well-suited for long-duration energy storage (LDES). Licensed exclusively through Battelle for U.S. commercialization, this optimized chemistry addresses the cost, safety, and supply-chain vulnerabilities that constrain lithium and vanadium technologies. The zinc polyiodide chemistry combines two earth-abundant, non-toxic, non-flammable elements in a high-density aqueous electrolyte with the potential to exceed 250 Wh/L — an order-of-magnitude improvement in energy density compared with conventional vanadium flow batteries. The chemistry’s inherent stability supports long-duration discharge without degradation when coupled with optimal cell geometry, representing a potential future while its unique modular stack architecture enables scalable manufacturing and cost-effective maintenance. The presentation will highlight advancements in electrolyte stabilization, electrode and membrane compatibility, and target operating regimes that balance performance, cost, and manufacturability. Together, these innovations establish a pathway toward a safe, recyclable, and U.S.-manufacturable LDES platform capable of replacing lithium-based systems in stationary and LDES applications. Key Takeaways: How zinc polyiodide achieves >10x improvement in energy density over vanadium systems. Elimination of toxicity and flammability concerns common to lithium-based chemistries. Compatibility with modular, U.S.-based manufacturing for long-duration deployment.