SOLITEK: From Requirements to Reliable Energy Storage in BIG LEAP

26Sep

SOLITEK: From Requirements to Reliable Energy Storage in BIG LEAP

Interview

SOLITEK brings its expertise in stationary energy storage systems to BIG LEAP, focusing on first‑life battery applications and ensuring that safety and protection are built into the project’s demonstrators. From defining requirements for stationary ESS to developing fire protection systems for battery cabinets, SOLITEK ensures that the solutions designed in BIG LEAP are not only innovative but also safe, reliable, and ready for industrial use.

What’s the main role of SOLITEK in the BIG LEAP project?

SOLITEK plays a key role in defining the requirements for first‑life stationary energy storage systems, making sure that the project’s designs align with real‑world applications. It contributes to the dismantling and evaluation of aged batteries, helping to assess their state of health and potential for reuse. SOLITEK also provides aged batteries of different chemistries to meet the needs of the demonstrators, ensuring that the project has the right materials to test and validate its concepts.

Beyond requirements and dismantling, SOLITEK contributes to the design of modular ESS for stationary applications, collects operational data from first‑life batteries to support the development of predictive algorithms, and plays a central role in safety. In WP6, SOLITEK is responsible for the protection systems of the battery cabinets, including the selection of components for fire extinguishing systems. This ensures that the demonstrators are not only functional but also meet the highest safety standards.

What are the main challenges SOLITEK may face in the project?

 

One of the main challenges for SOLITEK is ensuring that first‑life battery modules can be safely integrated into modular ESS designs while meeting strict safety and performance requirements. Each battery type has its own characteristics, so creating flexible yet reliable systems that can host different chemistries is a demanding task.

Another challenge lies in safety and protection. Designing and implementing fire extinguishing systems and other protective measures requires precision and compliance with international standards. At the same time, SOLITEK must contribute to data collection and algorithm development, ensuring that the information gathered from first‑life batteries is accurate and useful for predictive models. Balancing technical innovation, safety, and industrial feasibility is complex, but it is exactly where SOLITEK’s expertise adds value to BIG LEAP.

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Bern University of Applied Sciences

Anyone who studies at Bern University of Applied Sciences can do so in an interdisciplinary way and in an international context, without setting foot outside the University: within its eight departments, a range of subjects as varied as nursing, food technology and sports are taught. It is also a meeting point for students from many diverse countries. Many-sided yet goal-orientated: anyone who chooses to study at Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH runs no risk at all of focussing solely on their course. With eight departments under one roof, it’s not difficult to see your subject from another angle. The 30 bachelor’s degree courses, 22 master’s courses, and numerous continuing education programmes combine to give BFH a remarkable profile. The University is based in Bern, Burgdorf, Biel/Bienne, Zollikofen and Magglingen.

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