GM, ABB demonstrate residential power back-up using EV batteries
Thu 15 November 2012
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General Motors and component manufactuer ABB have announced that they've successfully demonstrated an energy storage system built from five used Chevrolet Volt batteries, which would be capable of providing two hours of backup power for three to five average homes.
GM and ABB reported that during the demonstration, the energy storage system was run in a “remote power back-up” mode where 100 percent of the power for the facility came from Volt batteries through ABB’s energy storage Inverter system. A similar application could one day be used to power a group of homes or small commercial buildings during a power outage, allow for storage of power during inexpensive periods for use during expensive peak demand, or help make up for gaps in solar, wind or other renewable power generation.
Described as an "uninterruptible power supply and grid power balancing system," the prototype provided 25 and 50 kilowatts of electricity to power the lighting and audio-visual equipment used in the "off-grid" structure that housed the event.
Pablo Valencia, GM senior manager for battery lifecycle management said: "GM's battery development extends throughout the entire life of the battery, including secondary use. In many cases, when an EV battery has reached the end of its life in an automotive application, only 30% or less of life has been used".
ABB's Allen Burchett said this demo is an example of "how fast this research concept is turning into reality," and that the next step is to test out how the system will actually work on the power grid.
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