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Chevy Volt Batteries Power Home Backup Unit
General Motors Co. has developed a prototype power storage unit for homes that uses five batteries recycled from Chevrolet Volt extended-range hybrid cars.
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General Motors Co. has developed a prototype power storage unit for homes that uses five batteries recycled from Chevrolet Volt extended-range hybrid cars.
GM says the 25-kW unit holds enough power to operate as many as five average American homes for two hours. The system was co-developed with ABB Ltd., a Swiss-based global provider of power technologies and fast-charging systems.
The partners envision the modular unit being used during power outages, to ease high-cost peak demand or to help fill in gaps in electricity from wind- or solar-powered generators.
Pablo Valencia, who heads GM's battery lifecycle management unit, points out that batteries retired from use in electric vehicles may still have 70% or more of their service life remaining.
GM and ABB next plan to test the backup system in the grid. Proof-of-concept testing, market research and further product development will be coordinated by ABB's Medium Voltage business unit in Florida.
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