Hitachi ABB Power Grids has teamed up with Groupe Renault to deploy an energy storage system on the Portuguese island of Porto Santo, Smart-energy.com reports.
The two companies will give electric vehicle (EV) batteries a new lease of life and support the integration of renewable energy into the grid, as part of the ‘Sustainable Porto Santo’ initiative.
The initiative is part of the Portuguese government’s efforts to make Porto Santo the first smart, fossil-free island in the world.
Groupe Renault has provided the island with a sustainable energy transition platform comprising of a full ecosystem of EV solutions based on Vehicle-to-Grid technologies, and an aggregation platform to manage the flexibility provided by EVs and their batteries.
When EV batteries reach the end of their useful first lives, they are either disposed, recycled or reused. At the end of their service life in electric vehicles, however, batteries may still retain 70-80% of their initial capacity, according to a statement.
Markus Heimbach, managing director of Hitachi ABB Power Grids’ High Voltage business unit, said: “…[The] energy storage solution will be part of an intelligent electrical ecosystem for Porto Santo and ensure the complete utilization of the island’s wind and solar generation potential.
“This is yet another example of how Power Grids’ is contributing toward a sustainable energy future through a stronger, smarter and greener grid.”
Yasmina Badreddine, Project manager 2nd life batteries, Group Renault, adds: “Integrating second life EV batteries from Groupe Renault with Hitachi ABB Power Grids’ battery energy storage solution provides the capability to store excess energy generated by the island’s renewable sources.
“This way, the power stored in the batteries can be fed back into the network during periods of high demand, with smart precision.”