Japan-based Sumitomo has developed and installed a large-scale power storage system, which utilizes used batteries collected from electric vehicles. This prototype 600-kW commercial scale storage system built on Yume-shima Island, Osaka, consists of 16 used EV batteries and will begin operating later this month.
Over the next three years, the system will measure the energy output fluctuation from the nearby Hikari-no-mori solar farm and will provide power storage.
The project has been selected by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan as a model project for verification of battery storage to promote renewable energy.
Sumitomo created a joint venture - 4R Energy - in collaboration with Nissan in September 2010 to address the secondary use of EV lithium-ion batteries. The used EV batteries that will be recycled into this large-scale storage system have gone through inspection and maintenance at 4R Energy.
