GM and ABB To Provide Renewable Energy Solutions From Chevy Volt Battery

In the ongoing energy crises we are in need of some energy storage device which will make us energy sufficient. American auto giant General motors and Switzerland based energy Storage Company ABB have partnered last year to provide feasible energy solutions that too by recycling car batteries which are otherwise thrown in to scrap. The two giants tied up last year and decided to make use of GM's Chevy volt 16 KWh battery. The battery unit when made fully functional is expected to give a boost to energy storage market.

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Image credit: General Motors

As per a rough estimate, once a Li-Ion battery is turned to scrap, it still has 70% life left. The business of utilizing this otherwise wasted energy has a large potential to be turned in to a profitable venture. Energy collectors can bank on energy when there is no demand and can supply power during peak demand.

The battery solution By GM and ABB is a reliable one because; the present means of renewable energy storage/power production are either Solar or wind. However we cannot depend completely on any one due to their unreliable behavior. For getting a steady flow of power from them, the sun should shine continuously and the wind should blow round the clock, which is impossible. The prototype system hence developed by ABB and GM can deliver 25KWh of power steadily for 2 hours at a time  Or a  developed unit of 33 batteries can provide power to 50 US houses for four hours during a black out.

The system is still in its early stages to be functional and the researchers are testing it in laboratory. Efforts are to make a circuit by combining 80 units of 25 KWh capacities each. This will make the battery look like a 2 MWh system. Some ancillary units for the same might be set up. General motors launched its Chevy volt model last year and it is also thinking of retrieving its batteries for utilizing it to its fullest capacity. The technology still being new, the utilities are refraining from investing without a proven success in this field. Next month on wards, American Electric Power and S&C are about to begin a pilot project of connecting battery units next to transformers to power three to five houses. The project will be funded by Department of Energy.

As per GM, the company does not aim to bring batteries from its Chevy Volt cars directly. An ample amount of time will be dedicated towards research and development of new energy storage systems. This is expected to bolster energy market in a positive way.

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