{
  "id": 19163161,
  "title": "If It Can Power a Car, Why Not a Data Center?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/if-it-can-power-a-car-why-not-a-data-center",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-11-09T14:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Atlantic",
    "slug": "the-atlantic",
    "url": "https://www.theatlantic.com/science/2026/11/electric-vehicle-battery-reuse/689326/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Electric vehicle (EV) batteries, like all batteries, degrade over time, often losing between 70 to 80 percent of their original charge before they are no longer suitable for use in cars. However, this residual energy is substantial enough to power homes. Online communities are experimenting with repurposing old car batteries for this purpose. Andrew Austin, a hobbyist known as \"Battery Man\" on YouTube, demonstrated this by connecting an old Nissan battery to his parents' solar array in the U.K. The battery met their energy needs and even allowed them to sell excess power back to the grid. Despite the DIY allure, experts generally advise against such actions. Nonetheless, for years in Europe, repurposed EV batteries have been utilized to store energy for homes, businesses, and factories, with more formal technical and engineering support.\n\nAs the U.S. EV fleet ages, more buildings could soon host old car batteries. These batteries can provide power during outages, lessen strain on the grid, and lower utility bills by storing energy during off-peak hours. Various projects illustrate this concept: a U.K. company installed Renault batteries in homes with solar panels to store solar energy, an Audi factory used retired batteries in forklifts, and an Amsterdam soccer arena and Melilla, Spain, used backup power systems from Nissan batteries. In the U.S., conditions are improving for reuse. Colorado and New Jersey have passed producer-responsibility laws similar to the EU's, encouraging battery reuse. Simultaneously, the number of U.S. solar panel users has surged, and new batteries are more expensive to manufacture due to recent tariffs. This makes repurposing economically sensible.\n\nThe AI industry is also interested in EV battery reuse for data centers, which strain the grid and increase residents' electricity bills. Start-ups like Moment Energy, led by CEO Eddy Chiang, are preparing and installing retired EV batteries for clients like hospitals and airports. Moment's CTO and strategic adviser previously worked at Tesla. Redwood Materials, a battery recycler building storage systems for data centers, plans to deploy Rivian's retired batteries in its facilities and aims to power 20 data centers by 2030. However, a 2024 Stanford study suggests EV batteries may last longer than anticipated, and their removal can be challenging due to design restrictions, raising safety concerns. While some utilities, like Green Mountain Power in Vermont, are open to such projects, widespread U.S. adoption of old EV batteries for home use remains rare.",
  "summary": "A gold rush is coming for used EV batteries.",
  "key_points": [
    "EV batteries degrade to 70-80% capacity before disposal, retaining usable energy.",
    "Repurposed EV batteries store energy for homes, businesses, and factories in Europe.",
    "U.S. projects use retired EV batteries for backup power in data centers and arenas."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}