As you probably know, Volkswagen doesn’t just make cars. The German manufacturer also produces sausages, and since 2021 they have even become vegan.

The brand will soon enter a new sector as Volkswagen and its subsidiary Elli, responsible for the group’s charging services, will launch EPEX Spot, the largest European electricity exchange, on the German electricity market.

A second life for batteries

The manufacturer explained that the batteries from the electric cars will be used to temporarily store electricity in a specialized center located in Kassel, Germany, and then offer it on the trading floor.

When electricity prices are low and wind and solar are plentiful, electricity will be purchased and stored in batteries. Conversely, when prices are high and supply is limited, electricity will be sold and re-injected directly into the grid.

Other manufacturers are also in the game

First, 28 battery systems and 38 cell modules from the Volkswagen e-up! will be used for this repository. “The goal is to use the growing storage capacities of electric vehicles and batteries to facilitate the energy transition”Volkswagen explained.

Other manufacturers already use used batteries for stationary storage. Indeed, in 2017 BMW commissioned a storage facility in Leipzig that uses up to 700 BMW i3 batteries to temporarily store energy generated by its own wind turbines.

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