09 April 2026
ZincFive, provider of nickel-zinc (NiZn) battery-based solutions for immediate power applications, has launched the NiZn Retrofit Kit, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) energy storage solution designed to bring the benefits of modern battery chemistry to existing UPS battery systems in mission-critical environments.
The NiZn Retrofit Kit will enable data centre operators and service providers to replace legacy valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries with ZincFive’s long-life, high-performance nickel-zinc technology without requiring cabinet enclosure replacement, system re-design or operational disruption.
As data centre power demands continue to increase, operators face growing pressure to improve reliability, reduce lifecycle costs and meet sustainability targets. At the same time, much of the global UPS energy storage system installed base remains constrained by legacy VRLA batteries, where full storage system replacement introduces significant cost, complexity and operational risk.
While lithium-ion technologies may be an alternative in new deployments, they remain difficult to install in retrofit environments due to infrastructure, safety and compliance considerations. As a result, many operators remain locked into short-life VRLA replacement cycles, typically every five to seven years.
“The NiZn Retrofit Kit represents a meaningful evolution in how the industry approaches power infrastructure modernisation,” said Tod Higinbotham, CEO of ZincFive. “For the first time, operators have a practical path to extend battery life to 15 years while upgrading safety, sustainability and performance – all within existing infrastructure.”
Designed for compatibility with common three-phase UPS architectures and legacy cabinet form factors, the NiZn Retrofit Kit will transform retrofit from a custom engineering effort into a repeatable, scalable deployment model. Installation-optimised system designs will simplify deployment while ensuring consistent performance across sites.
ZincFive nickel-zinc chemistry delivers a long-life alternative to lead-acid without the risk of thermal runaway and avoiding many of the regulatory challenges associated with lithium-based systems, making it particularly well-suited for retrofit applications in occupied or constrained environments. This approach extends replacement cycles and reduces maintenance frequency, lowering total cost of ownership while improving operational reliability.
Key benefits of the NiZn Retrofit Kit include:
- True drop-in replacement for VRLA batteries without cabinet or infrastructure changes
- 15-year battery life, reducing replacement frequency and lowering total cost of ownership
- Turnkey designs that simplify deployment and reduce installation and maintenance costs
- Enhanced safety profile with no thermal runaway risk
- Improved sustainability metrics, supporting corporate and regulatory reporting requirements
The NiZn Retrofit Kit expands ZincFive’s addressable market beyond new (greenfield) deployments into the large and growing brownfield UPS energy storage system replacement cycle, where operators are actively seeking alternatives to short-life lead-acid batteries.
