Enabling EV Battery Circular Economy

Advancing second-life EV batteries and pairing with solar PV to enable energy resiliency.

ReJoule Incorporated

Recipient

Signal Hill, CA

Recipient Location

33rd

Senate District

69th

Assembly District

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$2,540,092

Amount Spent

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Active

Project Status

Project Update

ReJoule is reaching the completion of its commissioning plan, for its second life battery storage system, at the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA) in Pomona. The system is currently running on limited power flow, producing real-time data and is expecting full operation by the summer of 2025. Meanwhile, ReJoule continues to develop and deploy its rapid battery grading technology on battery modules and packs. This technology is now being piloted with OEMs, battery remanufacturers and within battery storage systems.

The Issue

As more full electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs) reach their end of life, there are serious concerns regarding the enormous amount of hazardous waste that decommissioned EV/PHEV batteries could produce. However, these batteries often retain 70-90% of their original capacity, making them ideal candidates for repurposed, second-life energy storage applications. Unfortunately, safety concerns and a lack of reliable performance projections have proven to be roadblocks for many potential customers. The biggest barriers to repurposing used EV batteries are the cost of disassembly, long test times, and uncertainty about the remaining useful life (RUL).

Project Innovation

ReJoule, Inc. is developing a battery-grading tool for assessing the health of repurposed batteries and validating its battery management system's ability to extend the life and performance of second-life batteries. The research team is also piloting its operational strategy for optimizing the performance of second-life batteries to integrate solar and provide resiliency at a commercial site located in a low-income and disadvantaged community.

Project Goals

Extend the lifetime of second-life batteries by slowing its degradation rate and actively balancing each module.
Characterize the lifespan of second-life batteries through bench-scale accelerating aging testing in a laboratory setting.
Validate second-life batteries as a low-cost alternative to integrating solar and providing backup power, compared to new.

Project Benefits

ReJoule is conducting accelerated cycling testing to establish a relationship between AC impedance, DC internal resistance, and battery degradation. This degradation rate model feeds into the pilot testing phase, where the team is deploying a second-life battery system that consists of retired battery modules at a multi-business commercial building, located in a disadvantaged and low-income community. Through this pilot demonstration, ReJoule is validating that its battery management system is capable of active load-balancing and real-time degradation monitoring.

Lower Costs

Affordability

This research project aims to reduce the cost of a second-life battery and solar PV installation by 30% compared to an equivalent installation that incorporates a brand-new battery.

Economic Development

Economic Development

The project employs GRID Alternatives as a subcontractor, which performs workforce development activities for the local community. We have also partnered with a minority-owned and operated contracting company for electrical work at our project site.

Greater Reliability

Reliability

The pilot study under this research agreement aims to validate the ability of second-life batteries to integrate solar PV and provide energy resilience to a commercial building.

Key Project Members

Only a few years ago, ReJoule founder Steven and Zora were working in the attic above their parents’ shop. Now they lead a talented team of almost 20 engineers and project managers determined to unlock an entire Re-X supply chain.

Zora Chung

Cofounder and CFO
ReJoule
Project Member

Steven Chung

CEO
ReJoule
Project Member

Subrecipients

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CleanSpark LLC

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SepiSolar, Inc.

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Coffman Engineers, Inc.

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Sigway Energy

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American Museum of Ceramic Art

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GRID Alternatives Greater Los Angeles, Inc.

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Match Partners

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CleanSpark LLC

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GRID Alternatives

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ReJoule Incorporated

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