No Battery Gets Recycled Too Early: Scandinavian Bus Fleet Operator Nobina AB and STABL Energy Sign Strategic Partnership
Munich/Stockholm, 25th of March 2025 – This partnership aims to find a flexible and resource-efficient solution. Decommissioned batteries from Nobina’s electric bus fleet will be repurposed in storage systems rather than subjected to early and costly recycling. Following a successful pilot project, battery storage systems will be installed in the countries where Nobina operates and managed by Nobina to support the grid. Additionally, local grids will be stabilized, and excess electricity will be available for trading on the spot market.
Nobina is the largest bus fleet operator in the Nordic region, operating in Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Denmark. Every day, the company covers a distance equivalent to circling the globe 23 times, transporting approximately 1 million passengers. Nobina currently has more than 1,000 e-buses in its total fleet of 5,000 buses, with an estimated total battery capacity of around 500 MWh.
Pioneering the Energy Transition
Petra Hammarin, Business development director at Nobina, says:
We are proud of this partnership, pioneering new solutions that can impact the entire industry and society.
“This sustainability initiative not only enhances our operational resilience and reduces energy costs but also minimizes Europe’s dependence on critical minerals and helps stabilize local power grids – a truly circular and sustainable approach,”
Petra Hammarin, adds:
Society’s preparedness and the resilience of public transportation have become increasingly important, particularly as electrification increases systemic vulnerability.
“Battery storage systems using decommissioned bus batteries could be a vital component for both competitiveness and sustainability,”
Dr. Nam Truong, CEO & Co-Founder of STABL Energy, says:
We see great potential for Nobina to extend the lifespan of batteries through stationary storage applications when they are no longer suitable for vehicle use.
“This provides a resource-efficient alternative to premature and expensive recycling, which removes batteries from the cycle far too early.Together, we can pioneer new standards for e-fleet operators across Europe and drive the energy transition forward. The resource-efficient use of batteries is also of immense strategic importance for Europe from a geopolitical perspective, as it strengthens the circular economy and reduces dependency on raw materials,”
Resource Efficiency Included: The Energy Transition Must Be Economically Viable
Investment in fleet electrification is high. By utilizing modular multilevel inverter technology, which enables the construction of battery storage systems using second-life batteries, investment costs for e-vehicles can be offset through the continued use of batteries, making operations more efficient. This provides a cost-effective alternative to the current recycling process, which remains unattractive and expensive when all associated processes are considered. Furthermore, since battery production already emits greenhouse gases, second-life applications ensure that batteries contribute to further CO2 emission reductions throughout their entire lifespan.
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No Battery Gets Recycled Too Early: Scandinavian Bus Fleet Operator Nobina AB and STABL Energy Sign Strategic Partnership, source
