Li-Ion electric vehicle battery research concept. Scientific symbol with EV batteries on wooden desk. 3d rendering.
Here’s a small piece of news that could have an impact on energy storage applications down the road: UL, a leading global safety science company, granted its first certification to UL 1974, the Standard for Evaluation for Repurposing Batteries, to 4R Energy Corporation. Outlining how to sort and grade battery packs, modules and cells that were originally made for electric vehicles (EV) and other applications, UL 1974 helps identify a battery’s state-of-health and introduces ratings to determine the viability for their continued use. Through this process, performance-validated “second-life” batteries can be utilized for energy storage systems to provide a safe, reliable, clean energy source.
4R Energy Corporation is a joint venture of Nissan Motors and Sumitomo Corporation focusing on the effective reuse of EV batteries for energy storage systems.
Eiji Makino, president of 4R Energy, said, “Repurposed EV battery safety and reliability have always been top priorities for our company since we were established in 2010. With UL 1974, our production process has now been certified by one of the world’s leading independent, third-party testing and certification organizations. We are very excited about this milestone, as it helps build customer trust concerning the viability of second life batteries, and will contribute to the further growth of energy storage systems.”
As the EV market continues to grow, there is an increased emphasis on repurposing batteries used in EVs. Concurrent with this is an escalating demand globally for efficient renewable energy resources. Innovative energy storage solutions are expected to become a key component of the electricity grid, boosting reliability and helping to integrate renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar.
Anticipating the deployment of second life automotive batteries for energy storage systems, UL initiated a standard development process to address the safety and reliability of repurposing batteries. In October 2018, UL 1974 was published as a bi-national Standard of the United States and Canada.
— Solar Builder magazine
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