The First Large-Capacity Sweep Energy Storage System Has Been Announced
Toyota Motor Corporation and JERA Co., Inc. have announced that they are working on the first large-scale Sweep Energy Storage System in the world. This installation was created with the use of batteries from electrified vehicles. It was connected to the power grid and started operations on the 8th of November 2022.
Projections say that the demand for storage batteries will go up in the future. After all, they are becoming necessary as supply-stabilizing tools as people move towards renewable energy sources to bring down carbon emissions. On the other hand, battery materials like lithium and cobalt are scarce and often unethically mined. This spells the need for more eco-friendly initiatives such as this project.
In 2018, Toyota and JERA kicked off discussions about reusing batteries. This was how the Sweep Energy Storage System was conceptualized and eventually made into a reality.
The new storage system has a sweep function, which facilitates the use of old vehicle batteries to full capacity despite their different capacities and performances. Toyota Central R&D Labs, Inc. created this functionality that controls energy discharge freely through a switch for electricity flow.
On top of that, the sweep function lets direct AC output as reused onboard inverters get rid of the requirement of a power conditioner. In effect, the costs go down and power loss is avoided during the conversion from AC to DC.
This project aims to utilize grid storage batteries for both recharging and discharging operations. They are attached to the power distribution system of Chubu Electric Power Grid Co., Inc. from a facility at the Yokkaichi Thermal Power Station of JERA.
Toyota and Jera have the goal of introducing around 100,000 kWh of supplied electricity by the middle of the decade. Doing so will not just reduce the overall cost but also contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions.
Needless to say, this is an admirable effort by the two enterprises. It might even change the game for the battery storage sector. One can only hope that more companies will follow in their footsteps.
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