Nearly two years ago, Seven States teamed up with Nissan, Middle Tennessee Electric, and the University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute, to launch an innovative second-life battery storage project. Seven States became an early partner to the project and will use data collected throughout the process to inform how to design, develop, and deploy BESS options to scale throughout the Valley. 

The university researchers on the project, led by UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Electrical Energy Conversion and Storage Tom Zawodzinski, is taking a deep dive into the varied uses for EV batteries past their point of optimum performance. By investigating the composition, movement, and degree of degradation of the batteries, the team intends to optimize the second use power supply to provide power during peak demand.

On November 18th, 2024, Joe Knox spoke on behalf of Seven States at Nissan’s “BESS Peak Shave & Microgrid Kick-Off and Ribbon Cutting” ceremony. Seven States is proud to serve as a partner and advisor for Nissan and looks forward to continuing the work. This collaboration is sure to have an important and lasting impact on the future of the grid. To learn more about the project click here.