Mobile energy storage for construction

What does Big Ass Battery do?

Big Ass Battery was founded 4 years ago with the ideology of replacing diesel generators at festival sites with green battery solutions. With the arrival of Covid-19, this market completely collapsed. The company pivoted and has since focused on emission-free construction. They distinguish 3 sub-markets:

1. Energy storage systems for emission-free construction sites, optionally with integrated fast chargers.
2. Big Ass Battery places the system between the grid and the end user, allowing it to be used for peak shaving.
3. Storing energy at solar parks and then trading at variable energy rates."

How did you get involved with TNO Fast Track?

Jaap used to work at TNO in Helmond, so he knew his way to the Mobility & Built Environment team. Big Ass Battery purchases LFP (lithium iron phosphate) cells to manufacture packages. The company was looking for more insight into the behavior of the cell. Initially, they had a testing issue. This developed further into an expert session issue as the conversations progressed.

Big Ass Battery distinguishes itself in the market by purchasing at the cell level. They have their own assembly line where the battery packs are made. These packs are integrated into the systems that provide solutions for customers. By purchasing at the cell level, Big Ass Battery has insight and control over the entire energy storage system at the lowest level. Because some knowledge, such as aging, resistance, homogeneity, and static and dynamic behavior of the cell, required more depth, they approached TNO.

How has TNO Fast Track been able to help?

"First, we quickly scheduled an expert session after the telephone intake. In the expert session, Big Ass Battery quickly learned that there are properties and parameters of the cells that we need to pay attention to and can control. We also gained more insight into the various test facilities of TNO," says Jaap from Big Ass Battery. "We also made use of these."

"This session at TNO actually triggered us to reorganize our battery assembly." Big Ass Battery now conducts a 100% "incoming goods" inspection on all cells. They now undergo a characterization test (Battery Lab: test battery technologies or applications - TNO Fast Track). At the end, the packs also go through a balancing and testing line. "We gather so much data about the batteries. This will give us an advantage when the 'battery passport' is introduced on February 1, 2027," says Jaap. Big Ass Battery already knows the entire system down to the component level and optimizes every part.

Can you recommend TNO Fast Track?

"Yes, absolutely," says Jaap resolutely. "The contact was very quick, and the expert session was well organized. It took place at TNO in Helmond. The knowledge we were looking for was clearly present, and we quickly sought to broaden our scope. It was really a bit of sparring with each other. This led us to other areas and we discovered new questions. We came across topics that were not initially on the agenda."

Jaap and Jasper say that "TNO is naturally known to us for its red-tape character. But we did not experience this at all with TNO Fast Track. This was a pleasant introduction, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with Roel Groot. It left us wanting more."

More info

Do you want more information about Big Ass Battery? Check out their website and contact them for further questions. Do you, like Jaap and Jasper, also need extra help with developing your innovation? Then schedule an intake, and we'll be at the table in no time.