JLR to repurpose car batteries for grid energy storage

author: FutureCar Staff    

The UK's largest carmaker, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), has revealed its plans to repurpose old car batteries for energy storage. The company aims to create one of the largest energy storage systems in the UK by utilizing used car batteries.

Battery storage is crucial for holding excess power during off-peak times when there is a disparity between the supply of electricity, such as from wind farms, and the demand for energy. This stored power can then be released and fed back into the grid when needed.

JLR's battery scheme is expected 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.

According to JLR, electric car batteries can be reused due to their high standards, even when they no longer meet the stringent requirements of an electric vehicle. Typically, these batteries retain 70% to 80% residual capacity.

The used batteries will be stored in containers located at the Chelveston renewable energy park in Northamptonshire. JLR also mentioned the potential for expanding the program by creating additional containers to accommodate more used batteries in the future.

JLR believes that there is further potential to utilize used batteries for energy storage in the coming years. A 2019 McKinsey report suggests that the supply of used batteries for energy storage could exceed 200 gigawatt-hours per year by 2030, with a global value of over $30 billion (£23.5 billion).

Energy storage is seen as a solution to the problem of renewable electricity being generated but not being used due to grid constraints. Wind farms, for example, may need to power down during windy periods when there is no demand for electricity or when the grid cannot handle the excess energy being generated.

This announcement highlights the fact that electric vehicle batteries often outlast the vehicles themselves. Even when they are no longer suitable for use in cars, they can find new applications elsewhere. The head of transport at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, Colin Walker, emphasizes that most of the metals in EV batteries can be recycled, while a petrol car irreversibly burns 17,000 liters of fuel by the end of its life.

FutureCar Staff