“We actively support the development of the charging infrastructure and the entire electromobility ecosystem. For example, we are working intensively on second-life use and the subsequent recycling of electric vehicle traction batteries. A battery that has come to the end of its life in a vehicle still has great potential, for example in electrical energy storage. Through this second life cycle, we will not only reduce our carbon footprint, but also provide customers with the opportunity to use fast charging where the distribution network does not otherwise allow it. We are therefore pleased to be able to work on these solutions with strong partners such as ČEZ Group,” says Martin Jahn, member of the Škoda Auto Board of Directors.
“We need to decarbonise the energy sector, transport and industry as a whole. ČEZ has a goal to build 6,000 MW of renewable sources by 2030 and to develop nuclear power to provide emission-free electricity for Czech industry. Yet this is only the first step. We need to decarbonise the entire Czech economy. This will require innovation, clever ideas and novel solutions, together with collaboration with strong partners in other industry sectors. The modern energy sector is increasingly intertwined with transport, and the partnership with Škoda Auto will take us a significant step forward,” says Pavel Cyrani, Vice-Chairman of the ČEZ Board of Directors.
The first joint projects have already started. An innovative energy centre will be built at the EP Rožnov site, where a vehicle-to-grid system will be tested for the first time in the Czech Republic, i.e., the use of electric vehicles as batteries to stabilise the distribution network. The two companies foresee further coordination in testing technologies for advanced electric vehicle charging management systems and developing possible models for their integration into the energy sector.
Another innovative energy centre will be established in Ivančice near Brno to test a plethora of energy technologies and find out their ideal combinations within the framework of urban heating. Photovoltaics, an electric boiler and a heat pump will operate here in addition to cogeneration. As part of the cooperation with Škoda Auto, an energy battery made in the Czech Republic from used electric vehicle batteries will also be installed here.
This type of battery is another important element of the cooperation between Škoda Auto and ČEZ Group. The secondary market for batteries will rapidly become more important in Europe as part of the circular economy and to strengthen domestic production and raw material security, and will thus shorten supply chains in the battery industry. There is already interest in these batteries abroad, and the first units have already been delivered to Elevion customers in the Netherlands. More will soon be heading to Austria.
For example, five batteries from the all-electric Enyaq iV would create a new large battery system that could power up to 40 households for a day, for example.
“Battery systems are becoming an integral part of the modern energy sector and can be used in electromobility and low-emission heating in combination with renewable sources. The first such batteries have already been delivered to customers in the Czech Republic and abroad, and we are now finalising other projects. We want to deliver up to 30 systems assembled from electric vehicle batteries to customers in the Czech Republic and abroad this year. This is an interesting expansion to our portfolio because the batteries can be beneficially combined with our other products,” explains Kamil Čermák, ČEZ ESCO CEO.
“ŠKODA X wants to find new solutions and test innovative ideas in smart mobility, service digitalisation, and the use of artificial intelligence in transport and smart cities. We now have dozens of innovative projects in our portfolio, with electromobility at the forefront. The secondary use of batteries is crucial for the electromobility chain,” says Jaroslav Pelant, Škoda X CEO.
ŠKODA AUTO has long been working with ČEZ Group on solutions for decarbonisation and increasing energy self-sufficiency. The largest joint projects include photovoltaic power plants on five buildings at the carmaker's service centre in Kosmonosy, and upcoming photovoltaics with a total output of 2.2 MW on the roofs of the ŠKODA Parts Centre and logistics buildings near the carmaker's main plant in Mladá Boleslav. One example of an electromobility turnkey solution is the supply of charging wallboxes for selected ŠKODA AUTO dealerships throughout the Czech Republic. These selected dealerships also received turnkey designs for measures and technologies to reduce the energy consumption of the building and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In its environmental activities, ŠKODA AUTO follows its GreenFuture strategy, which is divided into three areas: GreenProduct focuses on the development of energy-efficient drives and the use of recyclable materials in vehicles. ŠKODA AUTO supports the environmental management of its dealerships and service workshops through GreenRetail measures. GreenFactory includes all activities that enable manufacturing in a way that respects natural resources. ŠKODA AUTO reports on its current environmental projects and activities in its Sustainability Report, published every two years.
ČEZ ESCO is an expert and leader on the Czech market in energy-saving solutions, a supplier of emission-free and green electricity through certificates of origin, and a partner for Czech industry and public administration on the path to decarbonisation and sustainability. It provides comprehensive solutions for energy needs - from the installation of decentralised environmental-friendly resources including battery storage, through turnkey corporate electromobility to energy-saving projects and comprehensive deliveries of technical building security (TBS). It has approximately 2,000 employees. ČEZ ESCO subsidiaries include AirPlus, AZ KLIMA, CAPEXUS, ESCO Distribution Systems, ČEZ Energetické služby, ČEZ ENERGO, Domat Control System, E-Dome, EP Rožnov, ENESA, HORMEN and KART. More at www.cezesco.cz
