Spanish startup developed an innovative solution to give retired EV batteries a second-life

Summary

A Spanish company specialised in sustainability, environment, climate change, and energy has developed an innovative solution for processing retired lithium batteries from electric vehicles (EVs) to manufacture energy-storage systems (EES). They manufacture their products from battery cells removed from electric vehicles, giving them a second life. The company is looking for technical cooperation agreement, research cooperation agreement, commercial agreement or other appropriate are preferred.

Description

After an average of 5 years of service in electric vehicles (EVs), where batteries are subject to extreme operating temperatures, hundreds of partial cycles a year and changing discharge rates, lithium-ion batteries are normally retired due to faded capacity and power that fails to meet EVs range requirement.

Yet these batteries can live a second life 3-4 times longer, even when they no longer meet EV performance standards, which typically include maintaining 80 percent of their total usable capacity and achieving a resting self-discharge rate of only about 5 percent over a 24-hour period. Instead of being sent to scrapping and recycling, retired batteries from electric vehicles (cars, trucks, motorbikes, scooters) at the end of their mobility life are still useful.

In this context, SME founders have developed a new technology allowing a more efficient use of retired EV batteries: they can be re-manufactured into high-quality, low-cost ESS with enhanced performance, reliability and safety. The company is finalizing the last stages of development and the solution will reach the market at the end of 2021.

The standard factory has a capacity to process 500,000 EV’s cells yearly, to produce 1,500 5.0 kWh-ESS modules. They are currently operating a first pilot plant and have already produced modular 2.5 kWh-storage units, plug-and-play, based on lithium technology, for residential solar PV installation, or any remote area that requires isolated operation systems.
The energy storage system is able to cover various application scenarios such as intelligent grid usage, isolated operation, consumption optimisation and peak shaving. The Spanish company intends to adapt its technology to these applications:
• 5 kWh: Residential and small community solar PV installations, autonomous lightening, remote antenna basis, UPS and backup.
• 50 kWh: Off-grid installations (rural environment), EV charging in gas stations, electricity supply in public works (urban and rural areas), festivals, markets or sport events.
• 1 Mwh: Demand coverage and firmness assurance, demand management, utility scale or big public events such as music festivals.
The objective of this profile is to create new international opportunities under commercial or technical cooperation agreement. The SME provides potential partners with system adaptation to the partner’s specific application, customised installation and respective technical support. Furthermore, the company is looking for public or private bodies in the process of preparing a grant application to European funded programmes, that could be interesting in creating a synergy with this company.

Stage of Development

Prototype available for demonstration

Stage of Development Comment

Stage of development regarding the three lines applications planned:
- 5 Kwh: Prototype available for demonstration, ready at the end of 2021.
- 1 Mwh and 50 Kwh forecasted in 2022 and 2025 respectively.
Upon request:
- modular design
- scalability concerning performance level

Requested Partner

Type and role of partner sought:

- consortium coordinator or project partner willing to submit a proposal under EU R&D calls for funding.
- organisation interested in a technical cooperation with a view at further developing a product and/or a technology.
- commercial partners related with energy, sustainable construction or any sector requiring low-cost batteries for energy supply or companies from electric automotive sector willing to implement a recycling process in their supply chain.

Other types of contracts are also possible based on negotiations, e.g., manufacturing agreement, commercial agreement with technical assistance.