The leading potential application is stationary energy storage, either for the grid, or for domestic or stand-alone power systems.
Zinc–bromine batteries share six advantages over lithium-ion storage systems: They share four disadvantages: These features make zinc-bromine batteries unsuitable for many mobile applications (that typically require high charge/discharge rates and low weight), but suitable for stationary energy storage applications such as daily cycling to support solar power generation, off-grid systems, and load shifting.
During charge, metallic zinc is plated from the electrolyte solution onto the negative electrode (carbon felt in older designs, titanium mesh in modern) surfaces in the cell stacks.
Bromide is converted to bromine at the positive electrode surface and stored in a safe, chemically complexed organic phase[clarify].
[4] The battery stack is typically made of carbon-filled plastic bipolar plates (e.g. 60 cells), and is enclosed into a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) container.
This helps to prevent bromine from reaching the negative electrode, where it would react with the zinc, causing self-discharge.
As of November 2021[update] EOS Energy Enterprises had secured a 300 MWh order from Pine Gate Renewables, with installation planned for 2022.
[18] As of February 2022[update], Gelion announced an agreement with Acciona Energy to trial Endure batteries for grid-scale applications.