Highly dense (>95%) yttrium doped BaZrO3 was obtained <1450 °C using Ni sintering additives. Higher grain growth was observed in BZY with BaNiOx sintering additive. Upon redox cycling, the total conductivity of NiO added BZY was higher than pristine BZY. The impaired bulk proton conductivity was inverted through Ni-exsolution.