Energy storage system powered by repurposed EV battery packs and charged by a UC San Diego solar energy array. Credit: Smartville
MOAB both integrates and controls repurposed electric vehicle battery packs from different manufacturers in one unified system.
UC San Diego is expected to use the system to store solar energy from a 200 kW rooftop solar array to reduce demand on the local utility grid after sunset and avoid peak electricity rates. The 500 kWh system also provides 48 hours of emergency backup power.
In early March, Smartville was awarded $5.9 million from the U.S. Department of Energy through a funding initiative to help advance technologies and processes supporting EV battery recycling and reuse efforts across the country.
Smartville said it would the funds to accelerate MOAB’s commercialization. First, the funding is intended to help with Smartville’s plans to have MOAB become a UL certified second-life EV battery pack energy storage system. Second, it is expected to fund a 4 MWh demonstration project in central California co-located with an existing power plant operated by a California independent power producer in an underserved disadvantaged community.
The company said that most batteries retired from electric vehicles retain 70% of their storage capacity, making them candidates for stationary storage before being recycled.
