Used EV batteries for on-site energy storage

Second-life batteries housed in shipping containers offer modern commercial and industrial sites more control over energy use

Spotted: When it comes to on-site renewable energy, a key challenge facing many businesses is that sources such as solar and wind are intermittent, generating power only when the sun shines and the wind blows. Energy-storage solutions are therefore crucial for ensuring sufficient power is available when it’s needed most. 

Enter Connected Energy, a UK startup that has created E-STOR, a commercial-scale, energy-storage system that leverages 24 second-life Renault EV batteries. Easily installed at modern commercial and industrial sites within a 20-foot shipping container, E-STOR can optimise a site’s energy use, reducing costs and carbon emissions.  

Another key benefit of the system is that it’s completely modular. Units can be installed individually or as multiple systems working together, meaning storage can be scaled-up as the client requires. Servicing businesses across the UK and Europe, the company even offers free feasibility studies to ensure that battery energy storage is the right solution for any given site. 

Clients use E-STOR for active load management. The system can be charged from existing building supply or from solar panels and on-site wind, flexibly storing surplus energy generated when demand is low for use at peak times. Companies can also use E-STOR to generate revenue by offering load-balancing services to the grid.

Springwise has spotted other energy storage solutions in the archive, including one designed for homeowners in the event of a power outage, and another made from recycled batteries.

Written By: Rachel Ward