18 used car batteries delivered on Bornholm – ready for a second life in an old power plant

A second-life car battery system has arrived at the power plant in Rønne, marking the first milestone in the EU-funded project ‘Second Life for Power Plants – 2LIPP’. The initiative aims to transform fossil-fueled power plants into sustainable energy storage hubs, advancing the green transition in Europe and globally.

This week the combined heat and power plant in Rønne, which powers the entire Danish Island of Bornholm, celebrated a major milestone in the green transition.

Inside a 20-foot container, housing nine modules with two car batteries each, an innovative battery storage system made from 18 recycled car batteries was delivered.

This marks the first physical step in transforming the plant into a hub of sustainable energy storage. The battery system was developed by the Swedish technology company PLS Energy Systems.

“For years, we’ve seen positive results from energy solutions using second-life batteries,” says Fredrik Stigebrandt, Project Manager at PLS Energy Systems. “Now, the green transition demands fast and sustainable action. The 2LIPP project is an exciting opportunity to test our solutions in a broader context, unlocking their potential for future research and innovation.”

Reaching the First Milestone

The battery storage system, built from second-life lithium-ion car batteries, is the first of three cutting-edge energy storage technologies to be installed as part of the project.

The aim of the project is to prove that existing power plants originally designed for coal and wood can be repurposed into sustainable energy storage facilities.

“Today we have reached a big milestone,” says Claus M. Andersen, Managing Director of Bornholms Energi & Forsyning (BEOF), which operates the power plant in Rønne.

“This is the first crucial step in converting fossil-fuel power plants into green energy storage hubs. I’m confident this project will be a key stepping stone toward a more sustainable energy future.”[LF1]

Transforming Old Infrastructure for a Sustainable Future

As the world transitions to renewable energy sources like wind and solar, the need for reliable energy storage becomes increasingly important to ensure a stable supply during periods of low generation. The 2LIPP project demonstrates how a combination of complementary storage technologies can meet this challenge.

The recycled battery storage system, developed by PLS Energy Systems, is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly compared to using new batteries. It will work alongside:

• Flywheel Technology: A high-tech solution provided by Dutch company QuinteQ.
• Molten Salt Storage: An innovative thermal storage system developed by Danish company Hyme.

These three technologies, each offering unique storage capacities and grid services, will be managed by a new energy management system designed to optimize their operation and dispatch.

By integrating these advanced storage solutions, the 2LIPP project showcases how fossil-fueled power plants can be reimagined as essential components of the green energy transition, providing scalable and cost-efficient solutions for stable renewable energy supply.

About the 2LIPP Project

The Second Life for Power Plants – 2LIPP project is supported with funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program for climate innovation with EUR 8 million and has a total budget of EUR 13.5 million.

The 2LIPP project began in January 2023 and is expected to end in June 2026.

The consortium partners are: Bornholms Energi & Forsyning, PLS Energy Systems, Hyme, Quinteq, Pini, Netzgesellschaft Eisenberg, Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule Jena, Fraunhofer ICT, Gdańsk University of Technology, Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Ciepłowniczo-Komunalne “Koksik” - Spółka Z Ograniczoną Odpowiedzioneścią, Euroheat & Power, Technical University of Denmark, Danish Technological Institute. Energy Cluster Denmark is facilitating the project.

For more information about the project and its progress, visit www.2lipp.eu.