Sweden’s battery industry is flourishing in more ways than one. While Northvolt continues to steal the limelight, a whole host of innovative companies are busy developing new battery technologies that can meet future electrification needs.
Among them is Enerpoly, until now one of the Swedish battery cluster’s best kept secrets. The company was founded in 2018 and its mission is to reinvent the energy storage capabilities of a battery chemistry that served the world for well over a century.
“Our batteries are based on the zinc-manganese dioxide chemistry which is used in standard AA batteries. The idea is to scale stationary batteries with these same proven battery materials to support the renewable energy transition. We believe the applications our battery technology can address are endless,” explains Eloisa de Castro, CEO at the Stockholm-based company, which currently has a team of 17 employees.
AFFORDABLE, SAFE AND LESS ENERGY USED
Compared to the lithium-ion batteries that have become ubiquitous in today’s race to electrify society, zinc-based batteries offer many competitive advantages.
For one, the materials required are far more abundant which lowers materials costs and makes the zinc-ion batteries more affordable. Another major benefit is that manufacturing requires less energy which keeps carbon footprint low.
But as the company’s chief executive points out, two additional factors give zinc-ion batteries an edge in the market – increased safety and supply chain security.
“There is no risk of thermal runaway or explosions with zinc-ion batteries which makes them very safe and versatile. This enables more deployments for safety-critical use cases and potentially a new range of applications for energy storage. And to produce our batteries, we can tap into the supply chains that have long been established for primary zinc-manganese batteries.”
NEW MEGAFACTORY GETS UNDERWAY
Having been awarded a USD 8.4 million grant from the Swedish Energy Agency in late 2023, Enerpoly set plans in motion to build the world’s first megafactory for zinc-ion batteries.
The 100MWh manufacturing plant will be based in Sweden and is expected to open in 2026 when battery packs and cells will be produced and shipped to customers globally.
“The scalability of these batteries gives us a huge opportunity in residential, commercial and industrial applications all over the world. Business Sweden has helped us explore these opportunities. We have been in contact since Enerpoly’s R&D phase, and their collaboration and support remains invaluable as we transition to scaling-up and commercialisation,” says de Castro.
TAPPING INTO OPPORTUNITIES IN THE US AND INDIA
To jumpstart international growth and expand beyond Europe, Enerpoly took part in two of Business Sweden’s initiatives. The collaboration started by joining a delegation to the Battery Show North America in Michigan, organised by the Nordic Battery Collaboration.
This gave Enerpoly a unique opportunity to showcase its patented technology in the US market, which together with China is expected to represent over half of global energy storage installations by the end of the decade.
Besides this, the company took part in the India-Sweden Innovations Accelerator – a platform that helps Swedish SMEs forge relationships with local customers, partners and stakeholders in India’s green transition. The programme is initiated and funded by the Swedish Energy Agency and run together with partners Business Sweden and the Confederation of Indian Industries – Green Business Centre.
“Every single programme and event that we have attended has been very valuable. All have given us deep local market knowledge and introductions to relevant potential partners,” adds Eloisa de Castro.
“The goals of these initiatives were well-thought out and matched our ambitions. My personal experience with the delegations was that Business Sweden took a proactive role in planning each activity and they were perfectly executed,” she concludes.
Robin Pettersson, Program Manager, Energy & Transport at Business Sweden comments on the outcome of the collaboration:
“Enerpoly is a prime example of how Swedish startups and scale-ups can benefit from Business Sweden’s international presence and get the springboard they need to become global frontrunners in the battery value chain.”
ABOUT ENERPOLY
Enerpoly offers proprietary zinc-ion battery cells and packs that are safe, reliable and cost-efficient. Founded in 2018, the company focuses on global applications in stationary energy storage and is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden.
