Jaguar Land Rover repurposes car batteries for grid power storage

author: FutureCar Staff    

The UK's largest carmaker, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), has revealed its plans to repurpose old car batteries as an energy storage system for the national grid. This initiative aims to address the issue of excess energy during off-peak times when the supply of electricity exceeds demand. By storing this excess power in used car batteries, JLR can release it back into the grid when needed, effectively contributing to a more balanced energy distribution.

JLR's battery scheme is set to become one of the largest energy storage systems in the UK. The company intends to provide enough batteries to power 750 homes for a day, equivalent to 7.5 megawatt hours of energy, by the end of this year. These batteries, which still possess 70% to 80% residual capacity, can be reused due to their adherence to stringent quality standards, even after they are no longer suitable for electric vehicles.

The used car batteries will be stored in containers located across the Chelveston renewable energy park in Northamptonshire. JLR also plans to expand the program as more containers can be created to accommodate additional used batteries from vehicles in the future. The company believes that there is potential for further utilization of these used batteries in the coming years.

The McKinsey report from 2019 suggests that by 2030, the supply of used batteries for energy storage could exceed 200 gigawatt-hours per year, with a global value of over $30 billion (£23.5 billion). This demonstrates the significant potential for repurposing used batteries and highlights the long-lasting nature of electric vehicle batteries.

Energy storage is crucial in addressing the challenges posed by renewable energy generation, such as wind farms. During periods of excess wind energy, when demand is low or the grid cannot handle the surplus energy, wind farms are often instructed to power down. Energy storage systems like JLR's battery scheme offer a solution to this problem by allowing the storage and release of energy when required, thus optimizing the utilization of renewable electricity.

Colin Walker, the head of transport at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, emphasizes the importance of repurposing EV batteries. He highlights that most of the metals in these batteries can be recycled, with only 30kg being lost after recycling. In contrast, a petrol car irretrievably burns 17,000 liters of fuel by the end of its life. This further underscores the environmental benefits and potential of reusing electric vehicle batteries.

FutureCar Staff