Electrovaya project takes energy storage "to 11"

If using renewable energy rates an 9 on the sustainability scale, and coupling it with energy storage brings that to 10 … well, the Canadian province of Manitoba plans to test energy technologies that could, in the words of Spinal Tap guitarist Nigel Tufnel, “go to 11.”

Working with the lithium-ion battery-maker Electrovaya, Manitoba Hydro plans to test a utility-size, stationary energy storage system built with end-of-life electric-vehicle (EV) battery packs. The system will be installed at the Manitoba HVDC Research Centre facility, a subsidiary of Manitoba Hydro, and the University of Manitoba is also participating in this project.

“Using Electrovaya’s refurbished lithium-ion batteries in this manner is an innovative and potential low-cost energy-storage solution,” said Bob Brennan, CEO of Manitoba Hydro. “We believe that repurposed lithium-ion battery technology has excellent potential for grid storage application. As well, the potential benefits of reducing diesel consumption in our Northern remote communities are very attractive to Manitoba Hydro.”

Part of a $7.6-million project led by Electrovaya, the test system is being supported with funds from the Canadian government’s Clean Energy Fund and Manitoba Hydro.

“This project will give us insight into the complete re-use of lithium-ion batteries,” said Sankar Das Gupta, CEO of Electrovaya. “Our hope is that utilities will be able to take advantage of the significant number of the used batteries that will come into the market after the large-scale introduction of plug-in electric vehicles.”

Gupta continued, “By making the end product reusable by utility companies, we address two problems. First, lithium-ion batteries become an even more environmentally sustainable product. And two, we help utility companies make wind and solar energy generation as reliable as hydro, nuclear, and coal.”