SECOND life Nissan LEAF batteries will be used to provide back-up power to Amsterdam ArenA – the world famous entertainment venue and home to Ajax Football Club.
The move follows the signing of a ground-breaking 10 year agreement between Nissan, power management leader Eaton and The Mobility House.
It will see the innovative xStorage Buildings system used at the 55,000-seater stadium to efficiently store and distribute energy, ensuring the lights never go out.
By repurposing batteries from previously used electric vehicles, the xStorage Buildings system can draw energy from the grid, providing businesses with more control, better value and a more sustainable choice for their energy consumption.
In the case of Amsterdam ArenA, the xStorage Buildings system will comprise 280 LEAF batteries – largest energy storage system powered by second-life batteries used by a commercial business in Europe – and will have four Megawatts of power and four Megawatts of storage capacity.
As well as providing vital back-up power services to the ArenA, xStorage Buildings also enables the Amsterdam ArenA to power the surrounding neighbourhood when necessary and protect the grid.
The Mobility House, a technology company, will operate the xStorage Buildings system integrated at the Amsterdam ArenA. It will perform various energy services strengthening local grid stability while generating additional value for the Amsterdam ArenA.
In parallel, Nissan and Eaton have today announced that their residential energy storage unit, xStorage Home will be available to pre-order in UK, Norway and Germany today with other European markets to follow in the coming months.
Paul Willcox, Chairman of Nissan in Europe, said: “Nissan is known for innovation and quality, particularly in our electric vehicles, and we’re proud to be using that expertise to transform the energy management systems of commercial premises.
“This announcement is a world first and has the potential to revolutionise the energy industry. Since we announced xStorage back in May we’ve seen overwhelming interest from consumers and businesses alike and we’re excited to be able to announce the Amsterdam ArenA as our first commercial partner.
“Not only will xStorage Buildings provide vital back-up power to the ArenA but it will also help to stabilise the national grid in the Netherlands at times of high-energy demand. This is the first of many exciting commercial announcements to come from Nissan in this rapidly developing market.”
Henk Markerink, CEO of the Amsterdam ArenA, said: “We’re talking about a huge advantage in sustainability. Soon we will be able to store generated energy from our solar panels and windmills and put it to use when we need it. A great innovation – in the future, the Amsterdam ArenA will be the first stadium in the world that won’t be using fossil fuels anymore.”
