Developing training for a second‑life battery workforce
An applied research grant is helping SL Batteries build training resources for battery remanufacturing.
When electric vehicle (EV) batteries reach the end of their life on the road, they are often viewed as waste. For Andrew Chadwick, founder of Sustainable Lithium Cells Australia (SL Batteries), that endpoint represents the start of a new opportunity.
With support from an Applied Research Grant through the TAFE Centre of Excellence Clean Energy Batteries, Andrew is leading an innovative project to repurpose used EV batteries into mobile solar energy storage systems.
"We repurpose, remanufacture and recycle lithium batteries. Instead of shredding them for raw materials, what we want to do is remanufacture them into new applications," Andrew said.
The project is focused on developing affordable, scalable second-life lithium battery systems that can be mounted on trailers and deployed in remote communities to help address energy poverty. The systems could also provide temporary power during emergencies or be used at events and construction sites where mains electricity is unavailable. A prototype was built and mounted on a trailer to confirm the concept's viability.
"If they’re not suitable for an EV, the batteries can still be suitable for stationary energy storage. In Australia, we’ve got lots of sunlight, we’ve got lots of space, and it’s a perfect combination for making these second-life solar batteries," Andrew said.
The Centre’s Applied Research Grants program supports projects that drive innovation, strengthen workforce capability and improve training outcomes across the battery sector. For Andrew, developing workforce skills is a critical component of the project’s long-term impact.
Alongside the technology development, he has created comprehensive training resources that equip workers with the skills needed to safely assess, test, build and manage remanufactured battery systems.
A key priority moving forward is to formalise these training materials so they can be integrated into future TAFE and VET programs.
Andrew believes that investing in workforce development and establishing robust testing processes will help build confidence in remanufactured battery systems and shift perceptions of used batteries.
"At the moment, a used EV battery is considered hazardous waste, and because of that, it needs to be recycled in these expensive processes. By developing a methodology, a workforce and a testing procedure for these batteries to reuse them when they are reusable, we’re changing them from being waste and turning them into a super valuable asset."
By supporting applied research projects like Andrew’s, the Centre is helping deliver practical solutions to industry challenges while creating new opportunities for skills development and workforce growth.
Watch the video to learn more about the project and its outcomes.
Watch Andrew Chadwick from SL Batteries explain the research that was supported by an applied research grant.
The TAFE Centre of Excellence Health Care and Support, led by TAFE Queensland, is a joint initiative between the Australian and Queensland Governments.