Earlier, EnerDel teamed up with Mazda Motor on a similar system using vehicles converted to electric drive using a platform designed and built by EnerDel and its partner Think, which will be stationed at a Family Mart convenience store.
Naoki Ota, chief operating officer of EnerDel, said: ”These are the first projects anywhere in the world to bring all the critical elements of a smart, sustainable network that connects renewable energy and transportation in the places where people live and work.
“It will also demonstrate that EnerDel’s lithium-ion battery systems are equally capable, whether it is in a car or a stationary grid application. Our longstanding partnership with Itochu has provided the means to set another exciting industry precedent.”
Sales begin this month, with the first move-ins scheduled for early 2011.
Itochu Property Development aims to introduce the secondary use system to 20% of its new apartment buildings. Secondary use implies a battery that has been redeployed from its primary application, normally an electric vehicle, with storage capacity remaining.
In November, EnerDel was selected to supply the batteries that will power a Department of Energy funded smart grid energy storage project by Oregon’s Portland General Electric that will help manage peak demand and smooth the variations in power from renewable sources like wind and solar.
