We’re wrapping up the Smart Grid Series with a rocket scientist who thinks the next big thing in batteries might actually be … zinc.
My guest is Mike Burz, co-founder and CEO of Enzinc, which is commercializing a zinc “sponge” anode developed with the U.S. Navy. The breakthrough: solving the dendrite problem that has historically killed rechargeable zinc batteries. The result? A safe, recyclable, low-cost chemistry that could power everything from scooters to data centers — and replace lead-acid or nickel-cadmium in millions of applications.
We cover:
- Why storage is the foundation of a renewable grid
- The Navy’s quest for a battery as safe as lead acid, but with the energy of lithium
- How a metal sponge structure prevents dendrites and enables true rechargeability
- Why zinc is abundant, cheap, and fully recyclable — unlike lithium
- The “Intel Inside” business model: supplying drop-in anodes to existing manufacturers
- First demos: e-bikes, golf carts, and telecom backup
- Longer-term possibilities: zinc-air chemistries for aviation and long-duration storage
- Why this is not about killing lithium but about giving the grid (and vehicles) safer, more appropriate options
Links & resources:
What you can do & what’s next:
Smart Grid Series recap:
- E101: Flow batteries with XL Batteries
- E102: Synthetic inertia & reliability with Wärtsilä
- E103 (this episode): Rechargeable zinc with Enzinc
Next week, we shift gears — from storage to deployment — with printed solar that could go just about anywhere. 🌞
Together, we can get this done.
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