Nissan Motor Company and Green Charge Networks are going to deploy second-life lithium-ion vehicle batteries for stationary commercial energy storage in the US and international markets.
More than 178,000 Nissan LEAFs have been sold since the car's launch in late 2010. Nissan has conducted multiple research projects in Japan, the US and Europe to use LEAF batteries outside the vehicle through 4R Energy, a joint-venture with Sumitomo.
Now, Nissan is working with Green Charge Networks on a second-life energy storage offering for commercial customers.
The first combined storage unit will be installed at a Nissan facility this summer, where multiple Nissan LEAF batteries will be configured to offset peak electricity demand. Systems like this also can be paired with renewable energy sources such as wind or solar to further reduce a facility’s environmental footprint and enhance energy savings.
