Blueprint and Implementation of Rural Stand-Alone Power Grids with Second-Life Lithium Ion Vehicle Traction Battery Systems for Resilient Energy Supply of Tropical or Remote Regions

Abstract

Developed societies with advanced economic performance are undoubtedly coupled with the availability of electrical energy. Whilst industrialized nations already started to decrease associated carbon emissions in many business sectors, e.g., by substituting combustion engines with battery-powered vehicles, less developed countries still lack broad coverage of reliable electricity supply, particularly in rural regions. Progressive electrification leads to a need for storage capacity and thus to increasing availability of advanced battery systems. To achieve a high degree of sustainability, re-used batteries from the electromobility sector are appropriate, as they do not consume further primary resources and still have sufficient residual capacity for stationary electrical storage applications. In this article, a blueprint for the electrification of a remote region by utilizing second-life lithium ion traction batteries for an integrated energy system in a stand-alone grid is presented and the implementation by the example case of a Tanzanian island in Lake Victoria is demonstrated. First, economic potentials and expected trends in the disposability of second-life lithium ion batteries and their foreseeable costs are outlined. Subsequently, key decision variables are identified to evaluate logistic aspects and the feasibility of the implementation of an off-grid electrical system in remote areas for economically and geographically unfavorable environments. The practical realization is pictured in detail with a focus on technical performance and safety specificities associated with second-life applications. Therefore, a new type of battery management system is introduced, which meets the special requirements of climate compatibility, low maintenance, enhanced cell balancing capability and cell configuration flexibility, and combined with a fiber-optical sensor system, provides reliable status monitoring of the battery. By carrying out on-site measurements, the overall system efficiency is evaluated along with a sustainability analysis. Finally, the socioeconomic and humanitarian impact for the people on the island is debated.

Towards a business model for second-life batteries: Barriers, opportunities, uncertainties, and technologies

“…Therefore, when the vehicles are parked, they can be connected to charging stations to supply energy to the grid, thus declining the dependencie to improve the electrical power system reliability. This fact makes it possible for every EV consumer or logistics company to use power from second-life batteries to supply power to the system and mitigate high upfront battery costs [20].…”

“…All these applications have fewer constraints in terms of weight and volume. In general, stationary systems can use second-life batteries [20]. In several countries, there are already policies that encourage the recycling of batteries, intending to provide alternatives to battery waste and scarcity of resources while also supporting the reduction of pollutant emissions [21].…”

Applications of Lithium-Ion Batteries in Grid-Scale Energy Storage Systems

“…In the USA, a project to design and construct LIBs as an energy storage system for providing power in grid-connected micro turbine applications has been sponsored by the Department of Energy and SAFT and SatCon Power Systems [1]. Moreover, a previous study reported that a demand of 100 GWh is expected with a cost level of approximately 100 €/kWh for stationary storage by 2025 [48].…”

Socio-economic impacts and challenges associated with the electrification of a remote area in rural Tanzania through a mini-grid system

“…In addition, these systems are unreliable and expensive to operate and maintain. Therefore, system-integrated battery storage, especially LIBs, is suitable to compensate for technology-related supply gaps (Nedjalkov et al 2019). LIBs offer an ideal basis due to their high energy density, performance and durability.…”