An advanced battery energy storage control system for predictive maintenance

The upcoming electric revolution is estimated to generate 4,000 tonnes of battery waste in the UK alone by 2020 (DfT 2014). By 2030, energy storage coupled with renewables are expected to overtake fossil fuel based electricity generation in most industrialized countries and all major car manufacturers are expected to make mostly electric or hybrid passenger vehicles. At the point of disposal, most of these batteries have at least 70% remaining life. Solutions for affordable battery system and improved ways to deal with battery wastes are urgently needed to deal with climate crisis.In response, Alp has designed and tested a low-cost and easy to maintain li-ion battery system using unconventional architecture and innovative electronics and sensors, which allow these batteries to be reused for distributed generation.

This project will focus on the improved utilization of Li-ion cells, increasing cell-value and extending use prior to recycle thanks to the development of an advanced system to collect and analyse the data for predictive maintenance (software).

The combination of this innovation with our existing battery system made of used cells has the potential to reduce energy storage cost by 80% while recycling otherwise discarded waste. The increase affordability could greatly facilitate the adoption of renewable energy in developing countries in Africa and South East Asia where renewable resources are abundant, but cost is a significant barrier to system deployment.