
Nissan sees first certification for reused EV batteries
4R Energy, a joint venture of Nissan Motors and Sumitomo, has been recycling EV batteries for energy storage systems, and is the first organization worldwide to be certified to UL 1974, the Standard for Evaluation for Repurposing Batteries.
The UL 1974 certification specifies how to sort and grade EV batteries, modules and cells. It also helps identify a battery’s state-of-health and introduces ratings to determine the viability for their continued use. This allows second-life EV batteries to be reused in energy storage systems (ESS) alongside renewable energy sources or in the home. Energy storage solutions are expected to become a key component of the distributed electricity grid, boosting reliability and helping to integrate renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.
“Repurposed EV battery safety and reliability have always been top priorities for our company since we were established in 2010,” said Eiji Makino, president of 4R Energy. “With UL 1974, our production process has now been certified by one of the world’s leading independent, third-party testing and certification organizations. We are very excited about this milestone, as it helps build customer trust concerning the viability of second life batteries, and will contribute to the further growth of energy storage systems.”
UL initiated a standard development process to address the safety and reliability of repurposing batteries ahof the demand. In October 2018, UL 1974 was published as a bi-national Standard of the United States and Canada.
“We are pleased to issue our first UL 1974 certification to 4R Energy and help accelerate the application of recycled and repurposed batteries both as a backup energy source and storage for energy generated by clean, sustainable sources,” said Jeff Smidt, vice president and general manager of UL’s Energy and Power Technologies division.
Related articles on reusing EV batteries
- SECOND LIFE LIFE BOOST FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERIES
- DESIGNING A DECENTRALIZED ENERGY GRID
- BATTERY REUSE PROJECT BOOSTS RECYCLING
- PROJECT USES INTEGRATED SOLAR PANELS TO CHARGE STREET LIGHTS
