Hundreds of discarded EV batteries are allegedly enjoying a second life at a California facility connected to the state’s power grid. This is according to a company that is developing a technique that it claims would drastically lower the cost of storing carbon-free energy.
A Los Angeles-based business, B2U Storage Solutions Inc., claimed to have 25 megawatt-hours of storage made out of 1,300 used EV batteries connected to a solar energy facility in Lancaster, California. According to Chief Executive Freeman Hall, this initiative thought to be the first of its sort, made $1 million last year by selling power into a wholesale market.
EV batteries need a disposal place
Grid-scale storage offers a viable place for the millions of spent battery packs that will result from the switch to electrified transportation in the upcoming years, despite the fact that the technology is still in its infancy. Additionally, it is a more economical way to use the enormous battery capacity required to store solar and wind energy for times when neither the sun nor the wind is shining.
They can pack together the EV battery packs using B2U’s technology without needing to be disassembled beforehand. The 2019-founded business has the support of Marubeni Corp., a Japanese trade company.
It’s a new technology, but it might work
The lifespan of the batteries can be increased, allowing project developers to conserve resources and money. According to Hall, a system like B2U’s might reduce the capital costs of grid-scale batteries by roughly 40%.
Given all the work that goes into creating a battery, second life, and reuse help the total lifetime be more energy efficient, according to an interview with Hall. Consequently, you’re getting the most out of it.
Vehicles put a lot of strain on batteries throughout the years, which causes a decline in range. However, Hall noted that they are still valuable for stationery storage, which has softer requirements.
Who are B2U storage solutions?
B2U (“Battery 2nd Use”) Storage Solutions is a leading supplier of massive energy storage systems utilizing second-hand electric vehicle (EV) batteries. Their unique “EPS” (EV Pack Storage) technology enables EV battery packs to be used in large-scale stationary storage without modification, therefore removing repurposing costs.
When compared to systems of comparable size, B2U’s energy storage projects have lower installation costs and a higher Levelized Cost of Storage (LCOS).
As they claim, they linked their projects together close to the load. They supply power and grid services when they are most needed.
In 2019, Freeman Hall and Mike Stern established B2U. Solar Electric Solutions (SES), which generated 100MW of solar PV over 11 projects, was the parent company of B2U. In September 2021, B2U completed a Series A equity investment that Marubeni headed.
The hybrid energy storage facility in Lancaster, California, has been operational since May 2020 and has a current storage capacity of 25 MWh. We have set up 1,300 EV battery packs at this location to charge and discharge effectively while taking state-of-health variation into account.
The B2U system’s batteries initially powered Honda and Nissan automobiles. They are up to 8 years old.
The business is looking to build more projects in Texas and California.