A new agreement between Volvo Buses and Stena Recycling subsidiary Batteryloop will give second lives to used EV batteries. After the batteries are removed from Volvo’s buses, they will be reused as energy storage units in stationary applications such as buildings and charging stations.

Bus batteries are used for many years before they need to be replaced, but when new batteries are fitted to the vehicle, the old ones still have considerable capacity left. This capacity is too limited for an EV, but it is more than sufficient for stationary energy storage purposes. 

The agreement has a global reach, covering all the batteries in Volvo’s electric buses worldwide. 

Batteryloop and Volvo Buses have already been involved in a joint project with Stena Fastigheter, whereby bus batteries are used as energy storage units to provide electricity to the Fyrklövern residential area in Gothenburg. The electricity that is stored in these units comes from solar panels fitted to the apartment buildings’ rooftops.

“We have a clear-cut sustainability strategy at every single stage of our value chain, and we are now taking another step forward through planned, consistent reuse of bus batteries,” says Volvo Buses President Håkan Agnevall.  

“In addition to reuse, we also guarantee safe and environmentally suitable recycling when the batteries come to the end of their second life as energy storage units,” said Rasmus Bergström, Managing Director of Batteryloop. “We thus offer a sustainable circular solution for Volvo Buses batteries. What is more, this cooperation means we can convert a cost into a source of revenue for the customer.” 

“An energy storage unit is like a large power bank that gives the user considerable flexibility and can help generate income. We see that there is a fast-growing market in different kinds of properties, and also for charging stations for EVs both in industry and in society. Our cooperation with Volvo Buses will provide a valuable contribution to the development of the infrastructure that needs to be built up,” added Bergström.

Source: Batteryloop