EMT Madrid integrates second-life batteries into depot energy system with Irizar e-mobility

Irizar e-mobility, EMT Madrid and Iberdrola have launched a pilot project to reuse electric bus batteries in a stationary energy storage system at the EMT operations centre in Fuencarral.

The project focuses on extending the useful life of batteries that have reached the end of their first life by repurposing them for other applications. It is positioned as part of Irizar e-mobility’s activity as a strategic partner in decarbonisation solutions and reflects the company’s stated commitment to environmental sustainability.

The initiative has been developed within the framework of the PERTE VEC (CAPITAL) programme.

Earlier this year, Scandinavian public transport company Nobina AB has entered a partnership with STABL Energy: decommissioned e-bus batteries will be repurposed in storage systems rather than subjected to recycling. Similar projects were launched in the past in Sweden, Poland, Spain and the Netherlands.

EMT Madrid second-life battery storage at Fuencarral

The initiative involves the installation of a static, stationary electrical energy storage system at EMT Madrid’s Fuencarral operations centre. The system incorporates batteries that have completed their first life in electric bus applications and are reused for energy storage purposes.

Irizar e-mobility has been designing and manufacturing its own batteries for more than seven years, supplying them across its entire electric bus range. According to the company, the reuse and second life of batteries has been a priority for several years, supported through collaborations with different entities to promote circular economy practices in this field.

In this project, batteries in their second life are used to support the charging of EMT Madrid’s electric buses. The storage container has a maximum energy capacity of 1 MWh and a charging and discharging power of 500 kW. It includes fifteen battery racks removed from three Irizar e-mobility vehicles.

The container is integrated into EMT Madrid’s smart charging system and can be managed through it. This system is already used to charge the municipal operator’s electric bus fleet on a daily basis at the Fuencarral depot.

The storage system is charged during off-peak periods, with the aim of optimising energy prices, lowering energy costs and increasing the use of green energy. Within the charging process, the system is intended to reduce power peaks and demand during standard charging times and to optimise overall charging operations.