DENSO and TÜV Rheinland Japan Validate Battery Passport for AESC's Energy Storage Products

In a significant development, DENSO CORPORATION and TÜV Rheinland Japan have collaboratively confirmed the effectiveness of the battery passport for energy storage products manufactured by AESC Group. This validation is based on real-world data underscoring the viability and regulatory compliance of these vital energy solutions, which are poised for entry into the European market.

Project Background

As part of the global push towards carbon neutrality and the adoption of a circular economy, there has been an accelerated focus on developing sustainable products. In Europe, the Digital Product Passport (DPP) initiative is being rolled out to manage and digitally document product traceability information. Starting from February 2027, the EU Battery Regulation mandates that a battery passport must accompany batteries used in automotive and industrial applications. This regulation outlines certain challenges, including the need for data preparation, system utilization, and overall feasibility compliant with third-party verification protocols.

To advance this initiative, DENSO and TÜV Rheinland Japan signed a memorandum of understanding in September 2025, aimed at promoting the digital product passport project. Their collaboration focuses on validating a battery passport from real data linked to AESC's Energy Storage Systems (ESS), ensuring it meets the European regulatory requirements. DENSO is tasked with providing the service to facilitate the generation and management of battery passports that follow these new regulations, including a unique QR code for easy access to battery information.

Validation Process

During this validation, DENSO deployed a service that not only assists in the development of battery passports but also emphasizes operational integration. The system, built under the guidelines set by the Battery Pass consortium, allows access control features based on user roles, thereby ensuring data security and compliance while respecting stakeholder data sovereignty.

AESC, serving as the data provider, prepared and furnished necessary data that aligns with forthcoming passport regulations while also accommodating its clients' requirements for their future exports to Europe.

Commitment to Sustainability

In a bid to ensure compliance with the upcoming battery passport mandate and further sustainability goals, AESC has instituted a comprehensive framework within its supply chain to guarantee adherence to regulatory practices and stringent quality control. This initiative transcends the limited scope of data validated; it aims to foster a closed-loop circular economy for battery recycling and reuse, augmented by the implementation of digital passport solutions.

TÜV Rheinland Japan acted as an independent third-party certifier, verifying the data processed within the battery passport service against the EU Battery Regulation and standards outlined in DIN DKE SPEC 99100.

Outcomes from the Validation

This collaborative effort has yielded insightful findings, with empirical validation shedding light on challenges both in data preparation and operational compliance necessitated by regulatory guidelines. The verification steps confirmed that DENSO's battery passport service offers more than mere regulatory compliance; it provides practical integration capabilities within real-world operational contexts. TÜV Rheinland Japan's independent verification corroborated the battery passport's effectiveness in terms of data reliability and regulatory conformance.

Looking ahead, based on the successful validation using ESS battery data, DENSO and TÜV Rheinland Japan are set to turn their attention towards AESC's automotive traction batteries. Their joint efforts will aim to expand the battery passport’s applications, enhancing regulatory compliance not only in Europe but across global markets. This collaboration stands to add value for clients, including automotive manufacturers, while contributing to the emergence of a sustainable society.

Conclusion

Through this validation initiative, DENSO and TÜV Rheinland Japan have established not just a compliance mechanism but a pathway toward sustainable battery solutions, embodying the principles of the circular economy and serving as a model for future innovations in energy storage. The success of these collaborative efforts signifies a positive step towards achieving a greener, more sustainable future in energy storage technologies.