The energy industry is focusing on using more renewable energy and decentralised electricity production. The Green Energy Lab is addressing this as part of the Energy Showcase Region.<\/p>\n
The basic idea behind the \u201cSecondLifeBatteries4Storage\u201d project is to reuse batteries that have already been used in the electromobility sector. These are often discarded when they have only 80% of their capacity left. However, they are still good for further use as electricity storage in stationary applications.<\/p>\n
These second-life batteries can be combined into larger, stationary electricity storage systems and used to cover peak loads (\u201cpeak shaving\u201d) as well as to optimize own electricity in the industrial sector. They can also be used for grid stabilization or as a blackout reserve. The use of energy storage systems is playing an increasingly important role, particularly for the optimal integration of electricity generated from renewable energy sources and for the cost-effective use of electricity. On the one hand, these storage systems are intended to delay the disposal of batteries with a sufficient state of health (the ratio of available capacity to nominal capacity and the future ageing behavior of batteries) and, on the other hand, to reduce costs for grid provision through lower peak loads.<\/p>\n
As part of the project, a mobile rapid analysis device is being developed for the rapid and cost-effective assessment of the condition of used batteries, as it is generally not possible to access the stored battery data directly without the vehicle manufacturer and thus determine the state of health. The special feature of this product is its cross-brand functionality for measuring a wide variety of batteries. If the batteries have a sufficiently high state of health, they are installed in stationary accumulator packs. In addition, a software tool is being developed to comprehensively determine the residual value, which includes all process steps (first-life, reconditioning, second-life, recycling). For practical application, a so-called automatic storage dimensioning tool is required, which can optimally dimension the storage system for a wide range of applications (peak load coverage, PV self-consumption optimization, etc.). This dimensioning tool is also being developed as part of the project.<\/p>\n
The work programme aims to create optimal conditions for a free market for second-life batteries from the electromobility sector and to realize both ecological and economic benefits by exploiting the potential of used battery systems for storage applications. The project thus makes a decisive contribution to implementing affordable and sustainable energy systems.<\/p>\n