“What we want to do is maximize the value of the batteries and let it be used as long as possible … Getting extra use out of the battery is just really important otherwise you’re wasting life left in the battery,” Hecht said. Dozens of green UPS delivery vehicle battery packs are stacked together while they await testing at ReJoule on Oct. ReJoule found a solution, and it’s sitting in salvage yards and used car lots around the country. Most batteries need to be replaced about 10 years into their life, with 90% of their capacity still remaining, said Tobias Hecht, program manager for ReJoule.Ĭalifornia is in the early stages of figuring out what to do with these batteries and how to recycle them to avoid a surplus of hazardous waste. S&P Global Mobility projects that electric car sales will account for about 50% of all car sales in the United States by 2030. Why Electric Car Batteries?Įlectric car sales have grown from 0.2% in 2011 to 4.6% in 2021. Zora said the “global trend” of energy is moving towards renewable and reusable methods, accounting for the increased funding from the federal government. The two were unaware of Signal Hill’s historical, deep-rooted ties to petroleum and oil drilling, though they vaguely noticed the tens of oil pump jacks surrounding their business. Zora worked to find them possible buyers and make their name in the marketplace of renewable energy.Īfter working out of their parent’s surplus warehouse space, ReJoule received its first round of grant funding and was able to purchase its headquarters in Signal Hill. Grant | Signal Tribune)įor the first three years, Steven worked on his designs to test the remaining life in used EV batteries. “ … I saw the opportunity for a huge positive impact and it was in an area that I was definitely not familiar with.” A ReJoule testing kit rest on a table inside the companies lab on Oct. “He knew he needed someone who understood business and he needed someone he can trust,” Zora said, adding that it wasn’t an easy decision to leave her job to join her brother. His sister pushed him in the entrepreneurial direction, and he immediately asked her to come along with him. or working for any number of defense companies. Fresh with a Master’s degree in engineering, Steven had the option of starting his own company, pursuing his Ph.D. Zora was working in corporate finance for one of the largest companies in the United States when her brother brought the idea of his business to her. “So the seed was planted at a young age.” “Our parents are small business owners and they always encouraged us to start our own business,” Zora said. The brother and sister duo started ReJoule with an idea for renewable energy, and an interest in creating their own business inspired by their upbringing. Grant | Signal Tribune) An employee at ReJoule inspects one of the recently received extra large lithium-ion battery packs that will be tested in the high voltage area of their lab on Oct. The team also won an additional $50,000 at the same event. ReJoule Co-Founder Zora Chung holds a recently won oversized check from the Department of Energy that was won during the American Made Solar competition. Zora called the grants a “huge game-changer” for the company, as it’s the biggest funding allocation they’ve received. ReJoule received a $10 million grant from the DOE over the span of seven years to build three solar grids using their original design for workforce training and housing sites in disadvantaged communities. ![]() In September, the company was awarded two separate grants from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to produce its technology on its largest scale yet. The company wants to focus on commercial-scale solar energy in under-resourced communities instead of single-family homes. In the coming years, ReJoule will create solar energy storage systems for three locations across the U.S. The company specializes in repurposing electric vehicle (EV) car batteries to store solar energy for use at night. ReJoule was founded in 2017 by siblings Steven and Zora Chung, and made its home in a Signal Hill warehouse in 2020. On a quiet Signal Hill street, surrounded by oil pumps and offices, a family-owned renewable energy company is slowly spreading its technology around the world. Out of Signal Hill, ReJoule’s innovations have been sold around the world, and the company is focusing its efforts on disadvantaged communities next.
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