Techno-economic feasibility of repurposing retired electric vehicle batteries in residential off-grid photovoltaic systems

Abstract

As global electric vehicle ownership continues to rise, the growing number of retired electric vehicle batteries presents a significant opportunity to extend their lifespan by repurposing them for energy storage in residential solar systems. This study investigates whether it’s financially and technically feasible to repurpose old electric vehicle batteries to be used in residential off-grid Photovoltaic systems. Using Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) Pro software, we compared two types of residential solar setups: one with new batteries and the other with retired EV batteries. The data are taken from the Jordanian market, where electric vehicle adoption is significant. Our findings indicate that using retired electric vehicle batteries resulted in a 16 % lower net present cost. Additionally, the affordability of retired batteries allowed for fewer solar panels and reduced reliance on diesel generators, leading to lower emissions.