The repurposed batteries could be used to store electricity generated by renewable energy systems, such as wind and solar power. The stationary battery system will be implemented at the Manitoba HVDC Research Centre facility, a subsidiary of Manitoba Hydro. The University of Manitoba is also participating in this project. Major funding for this project comes from the Government of Canada’s Clean Energy Fund and Manitoba Hydro. This program is a part of an Electrovaya-led $7.6 million project.

Our hope is that utilities will be able to take advantage of the significant number of the used batteries that will come into the market after the large scale introduction of plug-in electric vehicles. By making the end product reusable by utility companies, we address two problems. First, Lithium-ion batteries become an even more environmentally sustainable product. And two, we help utility companies make wind and solar energy generation as reliable as hydro, nuclear, and coal.

—Dr. Sankar Das Gupta, CEO, Electrovaya