JLR to repurpose car batteries for grid storage

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【Summary】Jaguar Land Rover plans to repurpose old car batteries to store excess energy for the national grid. The company aims to create one of the largest energy storage systems in the UK and supply enough batteries to power 750 homes for a day. This initiative highlights the potential for reusing electric vehicle batteries and addresses the issue of renewable electricity being generated but not used due to grid constraints.

FutureCar Staff Aug 30, 2023 10:02 AM PT

JLR to repurpose car batteries for grid storage

The UK's largest carmaker, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), has unveiled plans to repurpose old car batteries for energy storage purposes. The company aims to create one of the largest energy storage systems in the country by using these batteries to store excess power during off-peak times. This power can then be fed back into the national grid when there is high demand for energy.

JLR's battery scheme is expected to provide enough energy to power 750 homes for a day, equivalent to 7.5 megawatt hours. The company will store these batteries in containers at the Chelveston renewable energy park in Northamptonshire. The program has the potential to expand as more containers can be created to house additional used batteries in the future.

One of the key advantages of reusing electric car batteries is their high residual capacity. Even when they no longer meet the stringent requirements of an electric vehicle, these batteries still retain 70% to 80% of their capacity. This makes them suitable for energy storage purposes.

In fact, a 2019 McKinsey report suggests that by 2030, the global value of used battery supply for energy storage could exceed $30 billion (£23.5 billion), with an estimated annual storage capacity of over 200 gigawatt-hours.

Energy storage is increasingly seen as a solution to the challenges of renewable electricity generation. Wind farms, for example, can be forced to power down during windy periods when there is low demand for electricity or when the national grid cannot handle the excess energy being generated. By using battery storage, this excess energy can be stored and released when needed, helping to balance supply and demand.

This announcement highlights the potential of electric vehicle batteries to have a second life beyond their use in cars. Colin Walker, the head of transport at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, emphasized that most of the metals in EV batteries can be recycled, with only a small amount of material lost in the process. In contrast, traditional petrol cars consume large amounts of fuel throughout their lifespan.