A US-based startup, B2U Storage Solutions is providing a second life for hundreds of electric vehicle batteries by reusing them for storage in the California’s powergrid.
The company which pioneers this kind of Storage Solutions has said the technology will drastically lower the cost of renewable energy storage.
About 1,300 former electric vehicle batteries with 25 megawatt-hours of storage capacity were connected to the solar grid in Lancaster, California, said B2U Storage Solutions.
According to Chief Executive Freeman Hall, the initiative earned $1 million last year and it is believed to be the first of its kind to sell power into a wholesale market.
Reuters reported that, “the move to electrified transportation in the upcoming years will result in millions of used battery packs, but grid-scale storage offers a viable place for utilisation despite the fact that the technology is still in its early stage.
“The enormous battery capacity required to store solar and wind energy for times when the sun is not shining or the wind will be made more affordable.”
The company, B2U was founded in 2019 and backed by Marubeni Corp, a Japanese company. Its technology allows the bundling of electric vehicles batteries without separating them.
It was reported that the lifespan of the batteries csed, allowing project developers to save resources and cost. According to Hall, a system like B2U’s might reduce the capital costs of grid-scale batteries by roughly 40%.
In his words, “Second life and re-use helps the overall lifecycle be more energy efficient, given all the efforts that go into making that battery. So you’re getting maximum value out of it.”
He further added, “Batteries are used hard during their years powering vehicles, and over time their range deteriorates. But they still hold value as stationary storage, which has gentler demands.”