- STABL Energy’s solution enables the safe and efficient use of discarded electric vehicle batteries – so-called second-life storage systems.
- First pilot storage facility now in operation
- Renowned project partners are on board
Battery storage systems are key to a successful energy transition. They can store surplus electricity from solar and wind energy and make it available when the sun is no longer shining or the wind is not blowing.
At the same time, batteries are needed to meet the high demand for electric vehicles. However, the batteries in the vehicle have a limited service life – after 10 to 15 years they no longer meet the requirements of mobility, but can theoretically still be used in stationary applications for the energy transition. They are therefore given a second life. This is why they are also known as second-life batteries.
The challenge of second-life storage
However, the recycling of these second-life batteries has some technical hurdles: conventional storage systems are a chain of many battery modules. Like any chain, this static chain of battery storage units has the characteristic that the weakest link determines the performance. Specifically: the storage unit with the lowest energy content determines the capacity that can be drawn. However, used vehicle batteries are in different states after many years, for example due to different loads and production tolerances. Therefore, the conventional approach of stationary storage systems is not suitable for second-life.
STABL Energy has developed an innovative solution that makes battery storage systems more efficient and safer and enables the integration of discarded batteries from electric vehicles in large quantities. The STABL technology can easily handle the sometimes very different residual capacities of the battery modules from the vehicle, allowing the batteries to be used for longer. STABL Energy’s first product – the SI100 – connects the battery modules to the power grid without the need for an inverter.
First second-life storage facility with STABL technology now in operation
STABL Energy has now installed its technology in a storage system for the first time. The storage system consists of 24 used battery modules from old KIA Soul EVs and has an energy capacity of 72 kWh. Together with the project partners from encore, a corporate start-up from DB Bahnbau Gruppe GmbH, inno2grid and Dellcon, the project was realized at the Euref Campus and has been on public display ever since.
“We are delighted to now be able to show our product in a real environment outside the laboratory. With the certifications for our product now completed, we are starting series production and enabling as many companies as possible to participate in the energy transition,” says Co-Founder and Co-CEO Dr. Nam Truong.
The storage system is another milestone after winning the ees AWARD 2022 at The Smarter E Europe in Munich. STABL Energy and its partners are planning further projects for various customers in the coming years. In addition to rail-related applications such as buffering charging stations at railroad stations, projects are also being planned with commercial and industrial companies to optimize their electricity consumption or provide an emergency power supply. “In this way, we are extending the life cycles of car batteries and want as many companies as possible to participate in the energy transition,” says Truong.
More information about the project can be found in the press releases from Deutsche Bahn and KIA Europe.
Want to find out more?
Get in touch with us. We look forward to hearing from you and answering your questions.
