Used batteries from Renault’s electric vehicles (EVs) are to be given a second life in UK-based Powervault’s home energy storage units.
The deal with the carmaker will reduce the cost of a Powervault smart battery unit by 30%, helping Powervault to bring home energy storage “to the tipping point of mass-market rollout in the UK”.
Powervault is placing 50 trial units, powered by used Renault EV batteries, in the homes of customers who already have solar panels installed. The trial will explore the technical performance of second life batteries as well as customer reaction to home energy storage to help develop a plan for a wider rollout.
The yearlong trial, which starts in July, will be run with customers of M&S Energy, plus social housing tenants and schools in the southeast of England.
Joe Warren, managing director of Powervault, said the collaboration with two well-known brands – Renault and retailer M&S – “is an important milestone on our journey towards achieving mainstream adoption of home energy storage.”
The batteries used in electric vehicles usually have a lifetime of eight to 10 years. In a Powervault home battery system, the Renault batteries could be used for another 10 years.