Nissan and Enel have partnered to launch the Second Life project. Combining used Nissan electric vehicle batteries at a conventional power plant in Melilla, Spain, operated by the Enel Group’s Spanish subsidiary, Endesa, the project enhances grid stability to help meet the needs of an isolated network.

A pioneering initiative in Europe, the project is based on circular economy principles, and has been selected as a “member initiative” by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

As part of the collaboration, Nissan has provided the batteries from its electric vehicles and Loccioni, a system integrator, secured the proper integration between batteries needed for the circular process. Once the useful life of a battery within an electric vehicle has come to an end, these batteries are recycled and assembled in a large stationary storage system.

This system is integrated with Endesa’s Melilla facility to avoid the interruption of electricity supply during events of excessive load, to improve the reliability of the grid and secure the continuity of network service to the local population. The back-up generator is composed of 48 used Nissan LEAF batteries and 30 new ones.

Melilla has a population of almost 90,000 inhabitants served by a local electricity network, which is powered by Endesa’s plant and isolated from the national distribution grid.

With a power of 4 MW and the ability to produce up to 1.7 MWh of energy should the power plant be disconnected from the system, the storage facility can inject energy into Melilla’s electricity grid for 15 minutes, which is enough time to reset the system and restart the power supply.