Where do the batteries go when autonomous vehicles are phased out? Robotaxi company Waymo and storage specialist B2U Storage Solutions now have an answer to this: the batteries in Waymo’s fleet will in future be used as stationary power storage devices in the energy network. The partnership could save thousands of battery packs from premature recycling while easing strain on the power grid in several U.S. states.
Robotaxi company Waymo and storage specialist B2U Storage Solutions want to convert thousands of discarded electric car batteries into energy storage devices. B2U integrates used battery packs into designated storage systems. These should be connected to the power grid To provide network services from California to Texas.
The goal is to support the same power grids in which Waymo’s robotaxis were active. The process is expected to extend the functional lifespan of lithium-ion batteries by several years. The systems could then absorb excess renewable energy during times of low demand. When demand is high during peak times, the storage systems are intended to supply the electricity back to the power grid.
Waymo: How old robotaxi batteries are supposed to absorb power peaks in Texas and California
Waymo’s repurposed batteries are intended to provide more capacity as storage for the general power supply and serve as local power supplies. For this process, B2U uses patent-pending technology for storing electric vehicle battery packs.
The method converts old batteries into safe and powerful stationary storage. The company uses the remaining residual value of the modules, which would otherwise be lost through direct recycling. B2U manages the units throughout the second phase of use. The used batteries should only be recycled after the residual value has been fully exhausted.
This approach could maximize the batteries’ utility as affordable and bankable alternatives to batteries built from new materials. Freeman Hall, Managing Director of B2U Storage Solutions, stated that this agreement represents an important milestone in B2U’s mission to provide integrated reuse services for the automotive industry.
What does the second battery life bring for consumers and the environment?
According to Waymo, the economic potential of batteries can be fully exploited through expanded use as network storage. This offers important stability for the power grid as energy demand continues to rise.
According to Waymo, it already carries out more than 500,000 fully autonomous trips per week in ten cities. Adam Lenz, the company’s head of sustainability and environment, pointed out the opportunities for clean energy supply:
Our shared fleet of electric vehicles presents a tremendous opportunity to support the growth of clean energy on the grid while expanding the circular economy. This partnership will allow us to reuse our batteries for local grid storage, ensuring they continue to provide economic and environmental value to the community long after they are removed from the road.
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