Enel and Rome Fiumicino Airport have commissioned Italy’s largest energy storage system powered by second-life electric vehicle batteries, the companies said on Thursday.
The stationary battery energy storage system (BESS), with a total capacity of 10 megawatt-hours (MWh), has been installed at Fiumicino International Airport and integrates 762 battery modules previously used in electric vehicles from Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, and Stellantis. The project is designed to store solar energy generated during the day for use around the clock, supporting the airport’s electricity needs.
The initiative was developed in collaboration with Enel X, German research institute Fraunhofer Italia-IEC, and system integrator Loccioni. According to Aeroporti di Roma (ADR), the 10 MWh BESS helps balance the 31 gigawatt-hours (GWh) supplied annually by the ADR Solar Farm.
Stellantis contributed 78 second-life batteries from its eCMP electric vehicle platform, providing 3.9 MWh of storage. Nissan supplied 84 used Nissan LEAF battery packs, adding 2.1 MWh. “This has been one of the most important projects for Stellantis in the last two years,” the company said, noting it forms part of a broader circular economy plan that includes battery repair and remanufacturing.
“This system gives new life to batteries that are no longer suitable for vehicles but are still highly valuable for stationary applications,” ADR said in a statement.
Industry experts note that second-life batteries can provide another 10 to 15 years of service in energy storage roles. However, they face competition from increasingly affordable new batteries, and many used packs are often recycled instead. Still, repurposing unused new batteries from discontinued models or outdated platforms remains a promising area for second-life applications, helping extend the utility of critical raw materials before recycling.