Porsche AG has breathed new life into used electric vehicle batteries. The company has developed a 5 MW energy storage system sourced from decommissioned automotive batteries.
The system is located at the automaker's factory in Leipzig, Germany. It is composed of 4,400 individual battery modules organized into four battery containers. The entire system, including the battery packs, is designed to last over 10 years. According to the company, individual battery modules can be replaced separately if needed. The system can safely handle overloads of up to 20% for short periods.
The energy storage system is constructed from used Taycan batteries taken from prototype and factory electric vehicles after their operational lifespan. Four battery blocks are separately connected to an inverter and transformer in the medium-voltage system. The battery modules, which were subjected to demanding daily use in test vehicles, were integrated into the energy storage system without any technical modifications.
Electricity for the storage system is partially generated by the factory's own solar power plants, which have a peak capacity of 9.4 MW. When peaks in demand occur, the storage system assists in smoothing them out.
“We wanted to create energy storage capacities for the Leipzig plant to make it even more economical and increase its degree of self-sufficiency,” said Jonathan Dietrich, the project leader for the battery energy storage.
He claims that it made perfect sense to continue using batteries from the pre-production Taycan vehicles instead of recycling them.
This project is expected to assist other Porsche facilities with similar systems and capabilities in the future. The fact is that such a system helps reduce peak load, which is particularly relevant today. This approach not only lowers overall electricity costs but can ideally also minimize the need for expanded grid infrastructure.
Source: interestingengineering
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