A Zero Point Module or ZPM is an ancient piece of technology long forgotten about. It was explained as containing a miniature universe to be able to output massive amounts of energy. One was seen powering an defense outpost until Grif took it aboard the Daedalus to boost its shields, beam weapons, and hyperdrive engine. However, the ZPM was already nearly depleted when it was taken from the defense outpost, and ran out of power in the middle of a battle against a rogue fleet building a prototype of Yoko's rifle. It was later transferred to the Prometheus, a smaller vessel, and was used to only power the shields, which allowed it to function again for a short period of time before cutting out and being destroyed with the vessel.
A second Zero Point Module was retrieved by Grif aboard the Daedalus from a similar outpost while a UCR fleet defended Atlantis. Upon returning, Grif was able to power the city and save the survivors of the devastated fleet. This ZPM continued to power Atlantis until the city was self-destructed 15 years later.
When it was discovered that the power module the UCR created to power the Korolev's beam weapon was insufficient, Jenn revealed that a Zero Point Module existed in a village society on a planet, serving as a religious icon. This third Zero Point Module was forcibly stolen from the village, which unintentionally lead to serious bloodshed. It was destroyed along with the Korolev a year later.