Second-Life Battery Storage: Startup STABL and e.battery systems Cooperate

Battery storage systems are essential for the energy transition. Founded in 2019, the Munich-based startup STABL specializes in the development and production of battery storage systems using used batteries. This approach is not only particularly sustainable but also financially beneficial for customers. Through a specially developed hardware platform, STABL also enables other manufacturers to produce high-quality battery storage systems. One example is e.battery Systems GmbH, a startup of AKKU Mäser GmbH in Austria. In an interview with Ambivation, Dr. Nam Truong, co-founder and CEO of STABL, provides insights into the technology and the current cooperation. He also discusses the impact of the new European Battery Regulation on STABL.

 

Nam, how would you describe what you do at STABL in an elevator pitch?

We provide companies with sustainable battery storage systems. This allows businesses to store the electricity they generate on-site and power their facilities and fleets independently of external power suppliers.

How did you get involved?

The technological foundation for our products was laid by my co-founder Dr. Arthur Singer through his doctoral work. I was also working on my Ph.D. in the field of battery storage and realized that Arthur’s idea addressed many problems we had been dealing with in our research group for a long time. For some of our customers, we develop only the system design and supply the electronics so that they can produce and distribute their own commercial storage units. For others, we build complete storage systems.

What range of customers do you serve?

Our customers are typically energy-intensive companies: manufacturing industries or, for example, logistics companies that are electrifying their fleets. Most of the time, a regular grid connection is not sufficient for them, creating a need for a buffer storage system.

You specialize in battery storage systems with so-called second-life batteries. What are the advantages?

We have a sustainable and particularly cost-effective product by using decommissioned vehicle batteries. Additionally, we can extend the lifespan of the batteries through our inverter. A 24/7 monitoring system ensures maximum safety during operation.

How did you manage to acquire e.battery systems as a customer?

With a lot of luck! Essentially, the team had a similar idea to ours and needed someone to implement it. AKKU Mäser GmbH, as an established battery dealer, recognized the opportunity for second-use batteries and the potential of STABL technology early on. This led to the formation of e.battery Systems GmbH.

Battery storage systems typically have long chains of batteries, where the weakest link limits the capacity. How do you address this issue?

We avoid this problem by wiring the storage systems in such a way that we can control each module individually. If there is a weak battery, we can still use the others.

So, e.battery systems was a kind of venture client for you?

Yes, we were fortunate that the team was very agile and managed to get all stakeholders on board. The usual reservations against young startups certainly didn’t make things easy for us. Given our very early stage of maturity at the time, there were understandable concerns about whether we would continue to exist as a startup and whether it was a good idea to rely on such a partnership. The team at e.battery systems said: We believe this will lead to something.

How is your cooperation structured today?

e.battery systems provides the batteries, tests them, and also builds the storage units. We supply the electronics.

Many companies in the energy sector are currently worried about the new European Battery Regulation. What impact does it have on you?

August 18, 2024, is a hard deadline for us because all stationary storage systems must then, for example, meet higher safety criteria. Initially, we saw mostly challenges, but now we view it positively: We had to refine our product and now focus on pure outdoor solutions with special fire and explosion protection measures.

What is your message to companies that need battery storage?

Due to the new regulations, companies are increasingly being held accountable. We clearly see who is thinking ahead and who is still stuck in day-to-day business. It’s more sensible to invest in sustainable solutions here and now rather than buying climate certificates.

 

Contact

Website: stabl.com

LinkedIn: Dr. Nam Truong