Renault and Connected Energy have developed up-to-date storage system

E-STOR is a revolutionary energy storage system that can reduce costs and enable more flexible and efficient use of energy.

3/14/16 5:00 am chumakdenis 1

Not so long time ago French automaker Renault and Connected Energy(British company that specializes in energy storage technologies and services) started collaborating on energy storage and EV charging technology.

The result of such mutually beneficial cooperation was E-STOR --up-to-date energy storage system that reduces costs and enables more flexible and efficient use of energy.

Well, the system sounds quite promising.

Let's learn more.

E-STOR

The E-STOR storage system is based on reused Renault EV lithium-ion batteries and is nominally rated at 50kW/50kWhr, which means the system can be used to support one rapid charger or a cluster of fast chargers.

Maybe, it's not that much, but the system is fully scalable and higher capacity units will follow.

Practicality

In practical terms, as well as allowing more efficient use of energy, the system can also enable installation of rapid electric vehicle charging in sites where electricity supply would traditionally only allow slower rates.

Instead of charging vehicles via a high-capacity supply directly from the grid, E-STOR could allow multiple batteries to be charged at a slower rate over a period of time, ready to release their energy and charge a car when an EV driver needs it.

The system can also be used for storing energy generated from on-site renewable generation resources such as solar panels and wind turbines.

Two solutions

Renault offers two concrete solutions with its electric vehicles and their batteries through E-STOR.

First - to the grid by providing energy storage that prevents power grid overload and balances supply and demand.

Second - to the environment --degraded batteries are not fitted for automobile use, but they still have considerable remaining capacity and can have a longer life and lower carbon footprint before they are actually recycled.

Versions

The Connected Energy site lists two versions of E-STOR(50kW-version and100kW-version), but there is no information regarding prices of both devices -- quite obvious, isn't it?

A few words from creators

Matthew Lumsden, Managing Director, Connected Energy, said: “E-STOR will enable the more cost-effective roll-out of electric vehicles in commercial and industrial settings, thus increasing the overall sustainability of this clean form of transport.

"With Renault we have secured the supply of second life batteries for future E-STOR installations.”

Eric Feunteun, Electric Vehicle Program Director, Renault, commented: "The second life application of Renault electric vehicle batteries supports Renault’s commitment to the energy transition in the automotive industry. Through E-STOR, EV owners can charge their car at reduced costs with electricity that is less carbon-dependent. It makes driving an EV a smart and even more sustainable transportation solution. With this energy management technology, electric vehicles and their batteries become an asset for the grid rather than create overload.”

Production

E-STOR will be available in the UK and other countries from July 2016.

Price remains unknown yet.

Will this system make a hit?

We completely have no idea if this system will make a hit, but the chances of it are really high.

Used batteries cost much less that the new ones.

Plus, Renault has a great reputation management -- in 2015, Renault was the best performing EV brand in Europe, with sales rising 49 percent to 23,086 units, with a 23.6 percent European EV market share --so it's more than possible.

Anyway,it's too early to make any conclusions since we don't have a production version.

Thus, let's simply relax and wait and see how it'll be in the summer.