EUROZIP: European Zinc-Ion Plant

Project Information

EUROZIP

Grant agreement ID: 190111595

DOI

10.3030/190111595

Project closed

EC signature date 7 December 2023

Start date 1 January 2024

End date 31 December 2025

Funded under

• The European Innovation Council (EIC)

Total cost

€ 16 768 157,50

EU contribution

€ 2 500 000,00

Coordinated by

ENERPOLY AB
Sweden

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - EUROZIP (EUROZIP: European Zinc-Ion Plant)

Reporting period: 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Enerpoly aimed at scaling up battery production for its zinc-ion battery technology through the European Zinc-ion Plant (EUROZIP) project. The zinc-ion battery offers a cost-effective, reliable, and inherently safe solution for stationary energy storage. Feedback from energy storage integrators has remained highly positive, with customers emphasizing the need for Enerpoly to manage manufacturing scale-up to reduce design barriers, time-to-volume, and time-to-market.
Within EUROZIP, Enerpoly worked on:
A) Proving zinc-ion battery manufacturability at competitive costs, yields, and speeds in a 100 MWh/year Customer Qualification Plant (CQP), and
B) Designing frameworks and processes at battery, facility, organizational, supplier, workforce, and regulatory levels to support long-term sustainable zinc-ion manufacturing in Europe.
EUROZIP was designed to prepare Enerpoly to break ground on a European zinc-ion gigafactory by improving the following for EU stationary storage integrators:
1) Cost-effective battery production: Enerpoly aimed to deliver cost-effective batteries with strong ROI for various stationary storage applications. The commercial prototype zinc-ion battery already demonstrated lower material costs compared to scaled-up Li-ion batteries, with further reductions expected at GWh scale alongside manufacturing process optimizations that reduce CAPEX and OPEX.
2) Reliable battery supply: Integrators require reliable supply without regional price premiums or competition from EV demand. Enerpoly’s technology uses abundant, low-volatility materials and was planned for local EU manufacturing, improving predictability and independence of supply.
3) Technology proven to reach scale: The CQP provides a pathway to optimize zinc-ion production processes for industrialization. The gigafactory design activities ensure that results can be efficiently scaled to a full-scale plant.
4) Safe battery product: Zinc-ion batteries are inherently safe and meet strict fire safety expectations without significant over-engineering.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Throughout the project, the technical work progressed significantly, and major milestones were achieved prior to the project’s early termination.
Building on the first-year progress—including the acquisition of state-of-the-art dry-electrode manufacturing equipment and establishment of a European supply chain—Enerpoly continued installation, commissioning, and facility development. A key achievement was securing the environmental permit for manufacturing, enabling compliant operation of the new facility.
The commissioning of the first production line was successfully completed, ensuring that all systems met performance, quality, and safety requirements. Staff received extensive training on equipment operation and procedures, preparing the organization for transition into qualification-grade production.
These steps enabled Enerpoly to complete the first production batch of zinc-ion battery cells from the Customer Qualification Plant (CQP), validating manufacturability and demonstrating EU-based production capability.
Despite technical progress, Enerpoly was unable to secure the additional external funding required to continue operations. On 27 June 2025, the company had to stop operations leading to the early termination of the EUROZIP project.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The project delivered results that significantly advanced zinc-ion manufacturing capabilities in Europe. Enerpoly’s acquisition of a full battery cell and pack production line—along with additional assets such as equipment, inventory, and production data—provided:
1) Access to a proven, full-scale >100 MWh/year production line supporting rapid industrialization.
2) Access to a highly automated manufacturing and assembly line that demonstrated scalability and efficient production workflows.
3) Retention of over a decade of Swedish battery manufacturing expertise through recruitment of key staff involved in installation, commissioning, and process development.
4) A cost-competitive zinc-ion product enabled by lower OPEX (no dry rooms/clean rooms, no drying step, fewer process stages) and a higher ratio of active material per cell, resulting in reduced cost per kWh.
5) A complete production line sourced from European machine builders, reducing reliance on Asian suppliers and strengthening European industrial autonomy.
Although the project concluded earlier than planned, EUROZIP delivered substantial advancements in zinc-ion battery manufacturability, facility readiness, and European value-chain development. The achievements provide a strong foundation for future initiatives in zinc-ion technology and resilience of Europe’s stationary energy storage sector.

World’s First Zinc-Ion Battery Megafactory, Enerpoly Production Innovation Center