Zinc as an Energy Carrier for Energy Conversion and Storage

Abstract

This paper discusses the possibility of using zinc an energy carrier for large scale energy storage. Zinc has many unique characteristics for being a good energy carrier material. In terms of four basic electrochemical properties: energy density, kinetics, stability and reversibility, zinc has an overall best balanced set of electrochemical properties in comparison with other elements in the Periodic Table. Zinc can also be supplied in a large scale as it is a relatively abundant element in earth's crest. In particular, the zinc-air system, being a very high energy density system, can have many different types of technological systems and methods of operation supported by diverse forms of zinc materials. With the rising needs for large scale energy storage in response to the rapid development in renewable energy, the concept of an energy carrier can be explored to meet these needs.