JLR Creates new Renewable Energy Storage System From Used car Batteries

JLR has developed an energy storage systems in the UK to harness solar and wind power using second-life Jaguar I-PACE batteries. The project is a partnership with Wykes Engineering Ltd, a leader in the renewable energy sector.

A single storage system utilises 30 second-life I-PACE batteries, and can store up to 2.5MWh of energy at full capacity.

The batteries supplied have been taken from prototype and engineering test vehicles.

JLR aims to supply enough batteries to store a total of 7.5MWh of energy – enough to power 750 homes for a day – by the end of 2023.  

After this point more containers can be created to house additional second-life batteries removed from used production vehicles in the future.  

Reusing vehicle batteries will create new circular economy business models for JLR in energy storage and beyond.  

François Dossa, Executive Director, Strategy and Sustainability AT JLR: "Our sustainability approach addresses the entire value chain of our vehicles, including circularity of EV batteries.  Our EV batteries are engineered to the highest standards and this innovative project, in collaboration with Wykes Engineering, proves they can be safely reused for energy sector application to increase renewable energy opportunities. Using the 70-80% residual capacity in EV batteries, before being recycled, demonstrates full adoption of circularity principles."

David Wykes, Managing Director of Wykes Engineering, adds: "One of the major benefits of the system we’ve developed is that the containers are connected to the Grid in such a way that they can absorb solar energy ,that could otherwise be lost when the grid reaches capacity. This excess energy can now be stored in the second life I-PACE batteries and discharged later. This allows us to ‘overplant’ the solar park and maximise the amount of power we generate for the area of land we are using."

JLR is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Motors Limited, part of Tata Sons.