India’s Offgrid Raises $15M to Make Lithium Optional for Battery Storage
Lithium may dominate today’s energy storage market, but alternatives are gaining momentum. India’s Offgrid raises $15M to make lithium optional for battery storage, offering a zinc-bromine-based solution that challenges the limits of traditional lithium-ion systems. With global demand for clean energy surging, the startup is positioning itself as a key player in the future of battery technology.
Image Credits:Offgrid Energy Labs
Breaking Away from Lithium Dependence
Offgrid Energy Labs, a deep-tech startup incubated at IIT Kanpur, has developed ZincGel, a proprietary battery system that delivers 80–90% of lithium’s energy efficiency while cutting costs significantly. Unlike lithium, zinc-bromine batteries rely on abundant, non-rare materials, reducing risks tied to volatile supply chains and short lifespans.
India’s Push for Renewable Energy Storage
India is aggressively scaling up its clean energy infrastructure. The country aims to boost its non-fossil capacity from 50 gigawatts to 500 gigawatts by 2030 and has set a target of 236 gigawatt-hours of battery storage by 2031–32. To accelerate this transition, New Delhi recently announced a ₹54 billion ($612M) funding package for large-scale battery storage projects. Yet, reliance on lithium — and China’s dominance over its supply — remains a bottleneck.
Offgrid’s $15M Funding to Scale ZincGel
With $15 million in fresh Series A funding, Offgrid plans to expand its ZincGel technology globally. The startup will first set up a 10-megawatt-hour demonstration facility in the U.K. by early 2026, followed by commercialization and a gigafactory in India. This strategy could help diversify the global storage market and reduce dependency on lithium.
CEO’s Vision for Affordable Energy Storage
Tejas Kusurkar, co-founder and CEO of Offgrid, emphasizes that accessibility is as important as innovation. “Not only should we address the market gap, but we must also make it financially viable. Past battery solutions often failed because they were too expensive to scale,” he explained. Kusurkar, who holds a PhD from IIT Kanpur, is committed to ensuring Offgrid’s technology delivers both efficiency and affordability.
Why This Matters for Global Energy Markets
Offgrid’s breakthrough could reshape how countries think about energy storage. By making lithium optional, ZincGel may help nations overcome supply chain risks, cut costs, and achieve renewable energy goals faster. For India, it represents a step toward energy independence and leadership in sustainable technologies.
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