California startup repurposes EV batteries for energy storage

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Electric cars are here to stay and the big question is what to do with their batteries once they’re no longer good for driving. But this LA startup, B2U Storage Solutions, has got it figured out.

They’re using old EV batteries as energy storage for the grid in California. And get this – using these old batteries actually lowers the cost of clean energy storage.

B2U has a storage capacity of 25 MWh tied to a solar site in Lancaster, made up of 1,300 used electric car batteries – it’s believed to be the first of its kind.

B2U’s CEO, Freeman Hall, says these batteries made a cool million last year just by selling power into the energy market. He also thinks that using old EV batteries could bring down the cost of big battery installations for the grid by around 40%.

So far, B2U’s using batteries from old Honda and Nissan electric cars, some of which are up to 8 years old.

Cool, right?

Check out the video below to learn more about B2U.

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