Offgrid Energy Labs: 10 Key Things You Must Know

Overview

Offgrid Energy Labs is an innovative cleantech startup revolutionizing the energy storage landscape with its proprietary ZincGel® battery technology. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Noida, India, the company focuses on providing sustainable, safe, and cost-efficient long-duration energy storage solutions primarily designed to support renewable energy integration, industrial power needs, and off-grid applications. ZincGel® batteries represent a pioneering alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries, offering longer lifespans, enhanced safety with non-flammable materials, and the ability to support deep daily charge and discharge cycles. This article reveals key insights into Offgrid Energy Labs, its technology, market impact, funding journey, and future prospects in transforming global energy storage.

1. Origins and Founding Vision

Offgrid Energy Labs was founded by a team of visionaries including Dr. Tejas Kusurkar, Rishi Srivastava, Ankur Agarwal, and Dr. Brindan Tulachan in 2018. The founders, many with backgrounds linked to IIT Kanpur, envisioned creating a safe and scalable battery solution that could tackle the limitations of lithium-ion technology, especially for stationary and industrial energy storage. Their goal was to develop a commercially viable battery that uses abundant, recyclable materials and supports deep, frequent charge-discharge cycles, thus enabling wide-scale renewable integration and industrial decarbonization.

2. ZincGel® Battery Technology

At the heart of Offgrid Energy Labs’ innovation is ZincGel®, a patented zinc-bromide gel battery chemistry. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, ZincGel® employs safe, non-flammable materials that drastically reduce fire risks. It delivers a high depth of discharge (100%), long cycle life exceeding 7,000 cycles, and a round-trip efficiency greater than 90%. Its sustainable zinc-bromide-carbon composition is not only low cost but also recyclable, giving it a significant advantage in environmental sustainability over conventional battery technologies.

3. Applications and Use Cases

Offgrid Energy Labs targets several critical markets with its technology. Renewable energy time-shifting allows solar and wind power generated during the day to be stored for use during evening or night hours. Industrial net-zero initiatives benefit from reliable, long-duration energy storage enabling heavy industries to reduce carbon footprints. Additionally, Offgrid’s batteries cater to data centers needing dependable backup power, microgrids in remote areas, and telecom infrastructure seeking diesel-free, resilient power solutions.

4. Competitive Advantages Over Lithium-Ion

While lithium-ion batteries dominate the market, they have limitations in safety, lifecycle, cost, and resource availability, particularly for large-scale stationary applications with daily deep discharge demands. ZincGel technology addresses these issues by offering a non-flammable alternative that profits from abundant, inexpensive materials such as zinc and bromide, avoids reliance on critical minerals like cobalt and lithium, and provides a longer operational life at a significantly lower operational and levelized cost of storage (LCOS).

5. Funding and Strategic Investments

Offgrid Energy Labs has successfully raised significant capital to scale its technology and commercial operations. In 2025, it secured $15 million in Series A funding led by Archean Chemical Industries Limited (ACIL), with participation from Ankur Capital among other investors. This investment not only underscores confidence in ZincGel’s potential but also strengthens supply-chain synergies through ACIL’s bromine business, critical for battery chemistry. Prior to this, the company had also raised funds from Shell Ventures and other early backers.

6. Manufacturing and Scale-up Plans

With the funds raised, Offgrid Energy Labs intends to establish a demonstration manufacturing facility in the United Kingdom as a pilot setup. This 10 megawatt-hour (MWh) capacity plant will validate large-scale production processes. Subsequently, the firm plans to erect a gigafactory-scale manufacturing facility in India to support global commercialization. These initiatives aim to bring affordable ZincGel batteries to industrial, utility, and microgrid customers worldwide.

7. Intellectual Property and Technological Innovations

The company boasts over 25 intellectual property families covering battery electrodes, electrolytes, and design innovations across geographies including India, the US, UK, and EU. Their proprietary electrolyte formulation plays a crucial role in balancing charge efficiency, temperature stability, and energy density, allowing ZincGel batteries to excel in diverse stationary and mobility applications, from grid storage to electric vehicle battery swapping.

8. Impact on Renewable Integration and Energy Transition

As nations pursue ambitious renewable energy targets—such as India’s goal of 500 gigawatts (GW) of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030—long-duration, cost-effective energy storage is essential. Offgrid Energy Labs’ ZincGel batteries enable deeper renewable penetration by offering reliable energy storage for 6 to 12+ hour intervals, thereby smoothing intermittent supply from wind and solar. This supports grid stability, peak shaving, and resilient power for remote or off-grid locations, thereby accelerating the global transition to net zero emissions.

9. Supporting India's Electric Vehicle Battery Swapping Segment

Offgrid Energy Labs is also advancing into sustainable battery solutions for India's electric mobility sector, particularly low-powered electric vehicle (EV) fleet operators including two- and three-wheelers. ZincGel batteries offer a safer, more environmentally friendly alternative to lithium-ion in battery swapping infrastructure, promising reduced environmental impact and enhanced thermal stability. This innovation aligns with India’s expanding EV market projected to constitute 10–15% of the global $100 billion EV space within the next five years.

10. Future Prospects and Challenges Ahead

Offgrid Energy Labs is poised for significant growth as global demand for sustainable energy storage intensifies. Key future milestones include scaling up manufacturing, global commercial deployments, and continued R&D for performance improvements. Challenges remain, such as competing with entrenched lithium-ion incumbents, navigating supply chain complexities, and achieving mass-market adoption. Nevertheless, Offgrid's focus on safety, sustainability, and cost-efficiency positions it strongly to capture critical segments of the expanding energy storage market.

Conclusion

Offgrid Energy Labs exemplifies cutting-edge innovation in the battery technology landscape, pushing the boundaries beyond lithium-ion with its ZincGel® chemistry. From enabling resilient renewable integration and industrial decarbonization to strengthening India’s EV battery ecosystem, the company’s solutions signify a major step toward sustainable, accessible energy storage. As it scales manufacturing and commercializes across global markets, Offgrid Energy Labs could play a pivotal role in shaping the future of clean power. The broader question remains: can zinc-based technologies redefine our approach to energy storage and fast-track the net zero transition on a worldwide scale?