Zero Emissions Developments (ZED)

Sustainable Energy Equities, trading as ‘Zero Emissions Developments’ (or ‘ZED’) is a renewable energy multi-disciplinary Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) company that services the commercial, industrial, rural, utilities, mining and residential energy sectors.

The Australian company launched a 100% recyclable graphene-based battery, under the commercial name of PowerCap. PowerCap products combine graphene with metal oxides, a more traditional battery component, in an asymmetrical cell design.

ZED uses graphene derivatives on one side to increase the energy density – and on the other side, a metal oxide. This type of battery is referred to as a “hybrid”, as it is half electrochemical cell, like a normal battery, and the other half is an electrostatic cell.

ZED is now part of the Australian Research Council-funded Research Transformation Hub for energy storage and conversion – a consortium that including universities and commercial companies.

PowerCap batteries are said to be lighter than a normal lithium battery, but without the problems that lithium presents, like combustion. In addition, it lasts longer than commercial lithium batteries and are easier to recycle at the end of life.

The graphene in the batteries is manufactured in Australia, from waste products. Both it and the metal oxides are fully recyclable.

The batteries have reportedly been tested in a few places already – including a school and an aged-care home.

In addition to these commercial batteries, ZED is selling residential batteries, ranging from 8.5 kWh to 15 kWh in size. They’re also making batteries for “mobile applications” – vehicles like golf carts.

The company is also working with the University of Southern Queensland to develop grid-stabilizing technology for the batteries, allowing them to store and provide excess power to the national energy market.