airPort sustaInability secONd lifE battEry stoRage

Introduction

During the next decades, the market uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) is expected to result in the availability of terawatt-hours of batteries that, after their first 5 years of intense exploitation, no longer meet the high-performance requirements of EVs. Yet, since they are still functional and able to serve less-demanding applications, these batteries can live a second life, providing stationary energy storage services at lower cost. This approach reduces environmental impacts and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of served energy systems, as well as of the battery supply and recycling chain in general.

Project Overview

The Project aims to take the Leonardo da Vinci International Airport Rome Fiumicino a significant step towards the net-zero climate goal by adding to the existing power supply system an energy storage solution exploiting second-life batteries totaling 2.5 MW power and 10 MWh energy storage capacity.

Energy Storage Functionality

This system shall store excess energy produced during the day by a 30 MW solar PV power plant planned to start operation in 2025. It will return the stored energy by covering the peak demand of airport facilities during evenings when solar energy becomes unavailable.

Innovations and Integration

The innovations expected from the project shall allow for the optimal integration of batteries of different sizes, voltages, capacities, brands, technologies, and differing aging levels into the same common power supply system.

Guidance and Business Models

Furthermore, the lessons learned by the project shall allow for outlining guidance for applicable business models, including:

1. Technical characterization procedures to determine the aging level of adopted batteries.
2. Economic assessments both at the beginning for acceptance testing of second-life batteries and during the remaining battery lifetime.

Expansion and Future Plans

The expansion of project results to other EV brands shall allow for broader applicability to possibly any market-available EV battery make. Once the project is completed, AdR plans to install additional storage systems up to at least 30 MW power and 90 MWh capacity.