LEAF batteries being evaluated

ABB, 4R Energy, Nissan North America, and Sumitomo of America have formed a partnership to evaluate the re-use of lithium-ion battery packs that power the Nissan LEAF, the world’s first all-electric car designed for the mass market.

The purpose is to evaluate and test the residential and commercial applications of energy storage systems or backup power sources using lithium-ion battery packs reclaimed from electric vehicles after use.

Energy storage systems can store power from the grid during times of low usage and feed that electricity back into the grid during periods of peak demand, increasing grid performance and providing backup power during outages.

The team plans to develop a LEAF battery storage prototype with a capacity of at least 50 kWh, enough to supply 15 average homes with electricity for two hours.

Electric vehicle batteries have longer lives than those of personal computers or mobile phones, with up to 70% capacity remaining after 10 years of use in a motor vehicle application. This longevity allows them to be used beyond the lifetime of the vehicle for applications such as a smart-grid community energy management system or battery energy storage.

Energy storage solutions are expected to become a key component of the smart grid. They will facilitate further integration of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, into the grid.

The evaluation of Nissan batteries will help determine their suitability for the power industry as energy storage.