SHERIDAN, WYOMING – June 3, 2025 – Travelers flying through Rome’s Fiumicino Airport can now take pride in their journey being a little greener, thanks to a remarkable new sustainability initiative supported by Stellantis and its SUSTAINera Circular Economy division.
The PIONEER project—short for airPort sustaInability secONd lifE battEry stoRage—is transforming the way airports manage energy. Developed by Enel and Aeroporti di Roma (ADR), with scientific input from Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute, it’s now the largest energy storage system in Italy using second-life electric vehicle batteries—and one of the largest in Europe.
Recharging the Future of Travel
SUSTAINera’s role in the PIONEER project centers around the reuse of electric vehicle batteries from Stellantis' B-segment eCMP platform. These “Second Life” batteries—78 in total—each provide 50 kWh of storage capacity, adding up to a powerful 3.9 MWh. They’ve been integrated into Enel’s advanced 10 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), which operates alongside the 31 GWh ADR Solar Farm.
This clean energy system is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by 16,000 tons over the next decade—comparable to the yearly emissions of over 3,000 cars.
From Cars to Clean Energy
The collaboration, which began in 2022, also involved ENEL X and Loccioni as system integrators. By breathing new life into used EV batteries, the project aligns perfectly with SUSTAINera’s mission to reduce waste and extend the lifecycle of vehicle components.
“The Pioneer project has been one of the most important for Stellantis in the last two years, included in the Second Life activity plan, which complement other circular economy activities on the management of electric vehicle batteries, such as remanufacturing, repair in order to extend their life for as long as possible before sending them for recycling.”
Batteries Beyond the Road
The innovation doesn’t stop at airports. Stellantis and its joint venture with NHOA, Free2move eSolutions, are exploring new ways to repurpose EV batteries for homes, businesses, and industrial applications. Through specially built demonstrators, they are testing the potential of both current and next-gen batteries for stationary energy storage.
“SUSTAINera will continue to invest in Second Life battery activities, which have shown a strong growth trend over the last 3 years.”
Circular Economy at the Heart of Stellantis
SUSTAINera is Stellantis’ dedicated division for circular economy practices. Its focus is to deliver affordable and sustainable products and services that reduce environmental impact while maintaining high standards of quality. This effort plays a key role in Stellantis’ bold vision to reach carbon net zero by 2038.
As the company puts it, “SUSTAINera represents all the circular economy activities in Stellantis and a sustainable offer within the Stellantis’ Parts & Services range. It promises our customers sustainable, transparent, and affordable products and services without compromising quality while preserving the environment, by reducing waste, use of our planet's resources and carbon footprint.”
Ready for Takeoff
This project is more than an impressive display of green innovation—it’s a blueprint for how industries can work together to create a cleaner, smarter, and more sustainable future. With second-life batteries at the core, Stellantis and its partners are showing that cleaner skies can start from the ground up.
Learn more at www.sustainera.com