Kia is going to give batteries from electric vehicles (EVs) a second life in energy storage systems. To do so, the South Korean carmaker is partnering with encore, a start-up that is part of Deutsche Bahn. encore will distribute batteries from Kia's EVs within Europe.
encore will have the battery packs deassembled into individual battery modules by partner DellCon. Using diagnostic tests, the company will map the capacity and state of battery modules. The capacity of the used modules determines whether they are suitable for use in new energy storage systems, or recycled.
Prototype on EUREF campus
This is a Europe-wide initiative. The parties unveiled a prototype energy storage system in August at the EUREF campus in Berlin, Germany. It is made up entirely of battery modules derived from used battery packs from Kia Soul EVs. The system enables the charging of EVs.
The energy storage system on the EUREF campus is part of the Micro Smart Grid. This is an energy grid in which various energy sources, users and storage systems are linked together. The Micro Smart Grid was set up by and is managed by inno2grid, a joint venture between Deutsche Bahn E.C.O. Group and Schneider Electric. The grid aims to make the energy grid more resilient by making energy flows predictable and increasing the share of renewable energy on campus.
72kWH
The system consists of 24 battery modules, distributed across three racks. Each module consists of 14 double cells. The system features a new power conversion technology with an integrated battery management system (BMS) developed by STABL Energy. This system compensates for variations in the capacity of battery modules by applying passive or active voltage balancing. The system can store 72kWh of solar energy for later use.
encore has been active in battery recycling for some time. The company offers a return service in Europe for used batteries. The company also reuses these batteries in energy storage systems. In doing so, the startup uses the infrastructure it has at its disposal as part of Deutsche Bahn Group. For example, Deutsche Bahn subsidiary DB Schnenker and DB Cargo are responsible for transporting used batteries and new energy storage systems.
Sustainable circular economy
"With our success in electrification of Kia models, we are also taking responsibility for the batteries after their lifetime in the car. The pioneering partnership between Kia and encore | DB shows that we see batteries as a valuable resource in terms of a sustainable circular economy," said Jason Jeong, president of Kia Europe.
"Saving energy is more urgent than ever for us," says Berthold Huber, member of Deutsche Bahn's executive board for infrastructure. "Our new second-life battery energy storage systems offer a solution that is also sustainable. And that makes it an attractive option for any industry."
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
