Rising peak loads from fast charging and electrification are forcing grid operators and site owners across Northern Europe to look for alternatives to costly grid reinforcements, and Nordic Booster is betting that second-life truck batteries can close part of that gap.
The Norwegian company has deployed a battery energy storage system delivering 400 kW to fast-charging infrastructure using repurposed battery packs from electric Scania trucks, positioning the project as a test case for whether circular storage can perform reliably and generate returns under real operating conditions.
The system combines battery packs sourced in Sweden with power electronics, software, and system integration developed and manufactured in Norway, reflecting a deliberate strategy to localize value creation and reduce supply chain exposure. Nordic Booster’s ReBooster platform relies on proprietary hardware and software designed to meet stringent cybersecurity and uptime requirements, a factor that proved decisive for early customers in Norway and Sweden. According to the company, the system is already operating at a critical Norwegian distributor and at Scania’s test center in Sweden, suggesting the technology has moved beyond pilot status into early commercial use.
From a technical perspective, the value proposition hinges on extending the usable life of electric truck batteries that no longer meet vehicle performance requirements but still retain sufficient capacity for stationary applications. Nordic Booster argues that this approach lowers upfront storage costs compared with new batteries while preserving operational performance for applications such as peak shaving and fast-charging support. By buffering high-power charging sessions, the system reduces grid tariffs and connection fees, which remain a major barrier for large-scale charging deployment in parts of Scandinavia.
The economic case extends beyond avoided grid costs. At the Norwegian installation, the storage system is integrated into Statnett’s flexibility market, with Akershus Energi acting as the commercial aggregator. Participation in flexibility services provides an additional revenue stream that shortens payback times, testing whether second-life batteries can compete not only technically but also financially with conventional storage assets. This aspect is critical, as many second-life battery projects globally have struggled to demonstrate bankable revenue models once refurbishment, integration, and compliance costs are accounted for.
Nordic Booster emphasizes that its architecture is not limited to Scania batteries, despite the close collaboration that enabled rapid deployment. The company says the platform is designed to integrate battery packs from multiple vehicle manufacturers, an important claim given the fragmentation of battery chemistries, form factors, and battery management systems across the EV market. Interoperability will likely determine whether circular storage can scale beyond bespoke projects into a broader European market.
The project also feeds into a wider industrial narrative in Norway and Sweden, where policymakers and utilities are seeking to align electrification with domestic value chains and circular economy goals. By extending battery life and increasing residual values for electric trucks, the model could marginally improve total cost of ownership for fleet operators while deferring recycling and reducing demand for new raw materials. Whether these benefits can be replicated at scale will depend on standardization, regulatory treatment of second-life batteries, and sustained access to flexibility markets.
For now, Nordic Booster’s installations provide a data point in an industry still searching for proof that circular energy storage can move from concept to infrastructure. The systems operating in Norway and Sweden will be closely watched for performance degradation, operational costs, and revenue stability, factors that will ultimately determine whether second-life truck batteries become a niche solution or a meaningful component of Europe’s energy storage mix.
