The problem of second-life battery energy storage

Are second-life batteries the future of energy storage?

The potential for second-life batteries is massive. At scale, second-life batteries could significantly lower BESS project costs, paving the way for broader adoption of wind and solar power and unlocking new markets and use cases for energy storage.

What are the economic benefits of using second-life batteries?

There are supporting results about economic revenue from battery operation hence encouraging the consumers to adopt second-life batteries as a viable option for energy storage. The second-life batteries have variable battery SOH and variable PV generation penetrations.

Are second-life batteries a viable alternative to stationary batteries?

This story is contributed by Josh Lehman, Relyion Energy Second-life batteries present an immediate opportunity, the viability of which will be proven or disproven in the next few years. Second-life batteries can considerably reduce the cost as well as the environmental impact of stationary battery energy storage.

Will second-life batteries fail?

Second-life batteries will either fail or experience exponential growth over the next 3–5 years. Retired batteries are available in increasing quantities, and there is clear demand for low-cost, stationary energy storage. Companies seeking to take advantage of the opportunity must act now, or risk missing the boat.

What are the challenges to a second-life EV battery deployment?

Major challenges to second-life deployment include streamlining the battery repurposing process and ensuring long-term battery performance. By 2030, the world could retire 200–300 gigawatt-hours of EV batteries each year. A large fraction of these batteries will have 70% or more of their original energy capacity remaining.

Why should you use Second-Life (SL) batteries?

The main reason to use Second-Life (SL) batteries is to reduce costs and minimize environmental impact by utilizing aged batteries closer to their lower operation performance.