5 Most Advanced Battery Technologies That Will Power The Future

3. Zinc-Manganese Oxide Batteries

Zinc-Manganese Oxide Batteries (Zn-MnO2) use an alkaline electrolyte which is being developed as a cost-effective electrochemical storage technology for grid applications. This battery is mainly targeted for grid-scale energy storage because of its high theoretical energy density rivaling lithium-ion systems (~400 Wh/L), relatively safe aqueous electrolyte, established supply chain, and projected costs below $100/kWh at scale. 

The use of water as an electrolyte in Zinc-Manganese batteries makes them significantly safer than other forms of electrochemical cells. These batteries do not catch flames like lithium-ion batteries and offer improved intrinsic safety over lithium-ion batteries. Zinc is cheaper than cobalt and lithium so manufacturing and using this battery can also reduce the cost of power storage.