the energy transition is required

A power storage for

for the energy transition

power storage

hilabs

HILABS GmbH

HILABS, Haq Innovation Laboratories, have developed the rechargeable, non-flammable zinc battery cell with a service life of over 25 years. The pouch cell is produced entirely in-house – from the raw material mix to the finished cell – using low-cost materials and crisis-proof, locally based manufacturing.

Thanks to its unique design and simple scalability, there is currently no directly comparable competitor product on the market. Experts see the technology as a potential game changer for the energy storage of the future.

HILABS stands for continuous innovation, robust solutions and a clear goal: to make energy storage safer, more sustainable and economically more attractive.

Our mission

  • To offer an alternative lithium-free battery for the stationary electricity storage market.
  • Our zinc-based battery cell reduces electricity storage costs to less than €0.05/kWh, making it up to 40% more cost-efficient than conventional lithium-ion batteries.
  • We offer an environmentally friendly battery that is free of lithium, cobalt and nickel. It is also safer than lithium-ion batteries, as it contains no flammable materials.
  • In this way, we enable both private households and companies to efficiently store and make optimum use of self-generated solar and wind power with minimal investment.

Historical Barriers of Zinc Batteries and HILABS Breakthrough Innovation

Zinc-based batteries are not a new invention by HLABS—in fact, they have been around for nearly 200 years. Traditionally, zinc batteries have been primary (non-rechargeable) cells, commonly found in button cells or AA batteries, and are disposed of after single use.

However, no commercially viable rechargeable zinc battery systems have existed for stationary energy storage, mainly due to three critical limitations:

  • Dendrite formation during recharging, leading to short circuits
  • Short cathode lifespan
  • Corrosion issues, reducing cycle life and reliability

HILABS Breakthrough Innovation

HILABS has fundamentally re-engineered zinc battery technology to overcome these historical barriers and make it suitable for grid-scale, rechargeable energy storage:

  1. Stopping Dendrite Growth
    • Developed a proprietary separator technology that prevents dendrite formation during charging
    • Enables safe and stable long-term cycling
  2. Extending Cathode Life
    • Uses activated carbon as the cathode material
    • Inspired by supercapacitor technology, offering high durability and cycle stability
  3. Preventing Corrosion
    • Introduced special additives to the electrolyte
    • Significantly improves lifespan and reliability
  4. Cost-Competitive Design
    • Patented cathode architecture reduces the need for passive materials
    • Lower material usage and local supply chains (zinc, carbon, water—all available in every country)
    • Avoids expensive and geopolitically sensitive materials like lithium, cobalt, and nickel
  5. Scalable for Stationary Storage
    • HILABS developed a cell concept that enables building modular, containerized systems for stationary applications
    • HILABS offers a competitive price point and long lifespan (25 years, 10,000+ cycles)

Strategic Positioning

While lithium-ion batteries still lead in energy density and power density, HILABS’ zinc technology offers:

  • Superior safety
  • Longer lifespan
  • Lower cost
  • Local sourcing, local supply chain
  • Environmental sustainability

This is not just an incremental improvement

It’s a genuine breakthrough that unlocks a new class of rechargeable zinc batteries for stationary energy storage

A market previously dominated by lithium-ion

The technological breakthrough

Based on a special coating of the separator and the thick cathode, as well as the corrosion- and dendrite-free anode, we have developed a rechargeable zinc battery – a patented technology inspired by the aerospace industry.

The zinc-based battery cell

The zinc-based pouch cell is manufactured from cost-effective, non-flammable materials. Thanks to the modular design, battery systems of different sizes can be realized depending on requirements. The cells are combined into scalable modules with integrated control electronics and a capacity of 5 kWh. These modules are in turn combined to form turnkey storage systems with grid-compatible interfaces and a total capacity of up to 1 MWh. Operation and performance monitoring are automated and carried out remotely.

Our customers, our market

HILABS focuses on the stationary energy storage market and develops various types of energy storage systems in collaboration with NES. Our customers come from a wide range of sectors, including wind and solar farms, electricity traders, industrial plants, office buildings, supermarkets, logistics companies, ports, public infrastructure, private households and many other areas.

HILABS GmbH

HILABS is an alumni of energy accelerator AXEL

Funding

HILABS is funded by “Start-up BW Pre-Seed”

of state Baden-Württemberg

Award

HILABS was awarded with the first price of the foundation “Energy & Climate Protection”