SuperDielectrics, a Cambridge-based energy storage technology company, has announced independent test results of its next-generation water-based zinc battery, confirming superior performance across safety, cycle life, and charge and discharge speed in high power applications, compared to both standard and next-generation phosphate-based lithium-ion batteries. The testing was carried out by leading UK defence and security company, QinetiQ.
SuperDielectrics’ core innovation is a patented polymer, which has produced breakthrough results when tested against like-for-like standard and next-generation lithium-ion single-layer cells. The results were clear: there was no thermal runaway (a battery fire caused by uncontrollable self-heating), fire, or explosion under abuse conditions.
At 0°C, the results showed that charge performance was ~48x better (20°C, which is 3 minutes). At room temperature, the results showed:
• up to 13x longer cycle life under high-power cycling (10 mins charge and discharge, 100% depth of discharge);
• discharge performance was ~10x better (maintained >85% nominal capacity, achieved at 100°C, or 36 seconds); and
• charge performance was ~8x better (maintained >70% nominal capacity, achieved at 50°C, or 1 minute 12 seconds).
The ‘twin transitions’ of AI-driven computing and clean energy are creating unprecedented demands on power infrastructure. SuperDielectrics’ battery is designed to address these challenges by delivering fast-response power smoothing that manages significant power fluctuations introduced by intermittent renewable energy and high workloads across data centres.
While lithium-ion batteries have been optimised for energy density to support long-range electric vehicles and long-duration grid storage, their performance degrades under highly fluctuating operating conditions, often requiring larger battery energy storage infrastructure to manage demand. In contrast, SuperDielectrics’ technology is specifically designed to absorb and respond to these rapid power variations.
Moreover, while lithium-ion batteries are well-suited to perform longer-duration storage and backup functions, they are ideally located outside data centres and at safe distances from critical infrastructure and residential areas. In contrast, SuperDielectrics’ batteries are being designed to provide a power-smoothing layer, co-located with data centre racks and other mission-critical equipment, with zero risk of thermal runaway.
These independent test results provide a strong foundation for SuperDielectrics as it enters its next phase of growth, focused on securing strategic customer partnerships and building its Faraday 3 battery for the company’s first deployment under commercial conditions early next year.
Jane Hunter, CEO, SuperDielectrics, said, “SuperDielectrics has a UK-designed, globally scalable technology for a future rack-level and grid-scale power buffering solution, enabling safer, lower-cost and higher-density AI compute infrastructure and grid stabilisation capability compared to lithium-ion. This strengthens UK leadership in critical enabling technologies. Where lithium-ion is reaching its performance limits, adding SuperDielectrics batteries can enable our customers to deliver the same power with a fraction of the energy footprint – safer, smaller, and at significantly lower cost.”
Shelley Brown, CTO, SuperDielectrics, said, “These results provide independent benchmarking of the technology at the heart of our batteries: a proprietary polymer separator that combines rapid ion transport with the safety advantages of an aqueous electrolyte system. The outcome is an energy storage solution purpose-built for high-power, fast-cycling applications, offering an alternative to lithium-ion systems that typically rely on extensive oversizing and additional safety infrastructure to manage demanding power profiles.”
