The Current State of the Reuse Battery Business - RENERATH Presentation at GBNet Fukuoka

At the "Green EV Battery Network Conference (hereinafter, GBNet Fukuoka Network Conference)" held at the Hotel Nikko Fukuoka (Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture) on August 20, 2025, Tomoyuki Shirasaka from the Energy Solutions Department, New Business Development Division, delivered a presentation titled "The Current State of the Reuse Battery Business." In his talk, he discussed I-PEX's Battery Storage System "RENERATH," along with ongoing initiatives and future prospects for an EV battery resource circulation model.

This article presents an edited summary of the speech given at the GBNet Fukuoka Network Conference.

The Green EV Battery Network Fukuoka is a public-private partnership organization launched under the leadership of Fukuoka Prefecture. Its goal is to build a "Fukuoka Model" for the integrated collection, reuse, recycling, and remanufacturing of used electric vehicle (EV) batteries. As of August 2025, 39 companies and organizations were participating, with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of the Environment also participating as observers.

I-PEX was founded in 1963 as Dai-ichi Seiko Co., Ltd., a precision mold manufacturer, and has since expanded its business by manufacturing products that meet the needs of the times, such as plastic molded parts, connectors, and products utilizing MEMS technology. In January 2024, the company embarked on a new challenge by entering the Energy Solutions Business. I-PEX launched the RENERATH series of Battery Storage System using reused EV batteries, offering two product lineups: solar street lights and variable-speed storage batteries.

With growing geopolitical risks and instability in rare metal supplies, the aim of this business is to make effective use of used EV batteries accumulated in Japan and create new value in both energy and resource aspects.

With the rapid adoption of EVs and the expansion of renewable energy, the supply and demand of cobalt and nickel, main materials in lithium-ion batteries, is becoming increasingly tight, raising concerns over the stable supply of newly manufactured batteries. Furthermore, battery production also consumes significant resources and energy, with emissions of approximately six tons of CO₂ per battery. However, even after more than eight years and 160,000km of use, EV batteries still retain considerable performance, making them potentially reusable as emergency power sources or storage batteries.

We consider products and materials that have completed their role, such as used batteries, to be "above-ground resources," in contrast to "underground resources" such as cobalt and nickel. Leveraging these above-ground resources is essential for both the effective use of resources and environmental impact reduction.

Yet, technology alone is not enough. Social implementation requires cooperation across the entire supply chain, including the development of systems and frameworks,

Cooperation with all parties involved is crucial in the reuse battery market, where legal systems, market formation, user awareness and many other factors are intertwined. To address these challenges, I-PEX participates not only in GBNet Fukuoka but also in the EV Battery Smart Use Council.

At GBNet Fukuoka, I-PEX is responsible for the reuse process of remanufacturing used EV batteries into storage batteries. Through the development, manufacturing, and sales of Battery Storage System, I-PEX contributes to creating the "Fukuoka Model," a Fukuoka-originated EV battery resource circulation model. The EV Battery Smart Use Council, which includes 19 major telecommunications, logistics, and leasing companies, as well as university professors, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of the Environment, and Fukuoka Prefecture, is examining cost structures, quality and safety management, and business model for the recycling of EV batteries. By focusing on standardizing specifications and building a social implementation model, I-PEX aims to contribute to the creation of industry-wide rules and market development in anticipation of the expansion of Battery Storage System.

The RENERATH series can also be equipped with an IoT-based remote monitoring and control system that can monitor the operating status of the battery and when it should be replaced. As the number of installations expands, we are also considering expanding the use of remote monitoring data to design systems and incentives.

Alongside framework development, demonstration and implementation in local communities are also progressing.

To bring the EV battery resource circulation concept into real-life community settings, I-PEX aims to establish a local production and local consumption model based in the Kyushu and is working with local governments and local events to promote the use of RENERATH.

One example of this is the initiative at Azumano Elementary School in Ogori City, Fukuoka Prefecture. The school is also positioned as an additional designated evacuation shelter in the event of a disaster, and I-PEX donated two RENERATH Solar Street Lights. Under normal circumstances, the lights are useful for crime prevention and disaster prevention along the school route, and in the event of a disaster, the built-in battery box can be removed and used to charge evacuees' smartphones, etc. Having reused batteries in a place that children see on a daily basis also makes them a good topic for environmental and energy education.

The RENERATH Portable Battery was also demonstrated at the Panasonic-sponsored events "Sports x Public Spaces x Disaster Prevention Power" (November 8, 2024) and "Panasonic Umekita Sports Day in Autumn" (November 9), both held at Umekita Park in Osaka City.

The event featured a plan that combined disaster prevention and entertainment under the theme, "an exciting space for sports becomes a comfortable evacuation shelter in the event of a disaster - Gamba PV (public viewing) realizes the fusion of entertainment and disaster prevention." The RENERATH portable storage battery was used to supply power to a water-circulating hand washing stand, digital signage, and a food truck, demonstrating its usefulness as an emergency power source.

At the Christmas tree lighting ceremony held at Tenjin Central Park in Fukuoka City, RENERATH portable batteries were used to power the trees and artworks made from ocean debris and waste materials. This project, which was implemented as the culmination of a series of cleanup events, became a symbolic initiative that combined waste recycling and renewable-energy-based power supply.

Through our introduction at Azumano Elementary School and our exhibits at events in Umekita Park and Tenjin Central Park, we believe that the local production and local consumption model for EV battery resource circulation will not only lead to the effective use of rare metal resources and the reduction of CO₂ emissions, but will also be functional in everyday situations such as disaster prevention, education, and events.

Reusing used EV batteries as Battery Storage System—rather than disposing of them—not only leads to the effective use of rare metal resources and a reduction in CO₂ emissions, but also contributes to emergency power sources in the event of a disaster and to local disaster and crime prevention efforts.

We believe that the reuse battery business is especially meaningful in Japan, a country rich in above-ground resources. By collaborating with companies, local governments, and related organization across the entire EV battery lifecycle—from manufacturing and collection to reuse and recycling—I-PEX aims to establish a local production and local consumption model through the RENERATH Battery Storage System, creating new markets and new value.