Repurposing EV batteries into utility scale battery energy storage – provides an enormous opportunity for battery owners and automotive OEMs as the volumes of used EV batteries increases. We spoke to Rob Moore, our Chief Business Development Officer, about how Connected Energy is gearing up for the future.
Utility scale storage sites, where battery energy storage systems are connected to the electrical grid to provide flexibility, time shift energy, and enable greater penetration of renewable generators like wind and solar, represent an opportunity to maximise the financial value of EV batteries while reducing their carbon and environmental impact.
Rob, says: “While most BESS to date have been constructed with new batteries, second life battery storage technology has been proven many times over in industrial and commercial settings participating in all the same electricity markets and with clear warranties and service level agreements. This was confirmed by a study by Timera Energy that found that the dispatch characteristics of second life batteries allow them to capture almost identical revenues from energy trading and flexibility services when compared to first life BESS.”
Fortuitously, the project pipeline for utility scale battery energy storage is also experiencing a surge. National Grid’s Future Energy Scenarios (FES) forecasts that energy storage capacity will increase more than ten-fold by 2050 – from 3GW to 47GW, a growth which will place a significant increase in the demand for batteries.
