<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0203</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-10-15</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001140310</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ZBB ENERGY CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ZBB</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000900529</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ARDSLEY ADVISORY PARTNERS</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>262 HARBOR DRIVE, 4TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>STAMFORD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06902</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001485583</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Ardsley Partners Renewable Energy Fund, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>262 HARBOR DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>STAMFORD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06902</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001485584</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Ardsley Renewable Energy Offshore Fund, Ltd.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ISIS FUND SERVICES LTD.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>PENBOSS BUILDING, 50 PARLIAMENT STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HAMILTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>D0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>HM 12</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>BERMUDA</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001504218</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ARDSLEY PARTNERS I LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>262 HARBOR DRIVE, 4TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>STAMFORD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06902</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001025710</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HEMPLEMAN PHILIP J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>646 STEAMBOAT ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $0.01 par value (&quot;Common Stock&quot;)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2857831</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares reported herein are held by Ardsley Partners Renewable Energy Fund, L.P. (&quot;Renewable Energy&quot;), a Delaware limited partnership, Ardsley Renewable Energy Offshore Fund, Ltd. (&quot;Renewable Offshore&quot;), a British Virgin Islands corporation and a certain managed account (the &quot;Managed Account&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Ardsley Advisory Partners, a New York general partnership (&quot;Ardsley&quot;) serves as investment manager to Renewable Offshore and the Managed Account, and serves as investment adviser to Renewable Energy, and has investment discretion over the securities held by each.  Phillip J. Hempleman is the Managing Partner of Ardsley and Ardsley Partners I, a New York general partnership (&quot;Ardsley Partners&quot;) and serves as the general partner of Renewable Energy.  Ardsley Partners serves as the general partner of Ardsley.  Each of the  Reporting Persons disclaims any beneficial ownership of the securities reported herein, except to the extent of its or their own actual pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>ARDSLEY ADVISORY PARTNERS, By:  Ardsley Partners I, its general partner, By:  /s/ Steve Napoli, General Partner</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-10-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
