United Kingdom – Pivot Power, a subsidiary of EDF Renewables, has received planning approval for two new grid-scale battery storage facilities in Sundon, Luton, and Indian Queens, Cornwall.
The construction of the 50 MW/100 MWh lithium-ion battery storage facility in Sundon is set to begin in early 2023, with the goal of connecting to National Grid’s Sundon Substation later that year. Pivot Power will also develop a private wire for electric vehicle (EV) charging once it is completed, helping to meet the national demand for rapid charging hubs.
Pivot Power will share a grid connection with two other developers in Indian Queens, including Renewable Connections, a renewable energy company based in the United Kingdom, which filed a joint planning application with Pivot Power. Both companies have received approval to build and connect a 50 MW/100 MWh battery to the National Grid in 2024. Pivot Power will also help the local community by installing a private wire once the battery is operational, bolstering Cornwall’s EV charging infrastructure.
Energy Superhubs
Pivot Power’s nationwide rollout of Energy Superhubs, which will deliver up to 2 GW of transmission-connected battery storage and high-volume power connections, will include the two projects. Pivot Power is collaborating with National Grid to expand their innovative Energy Superhub network across the country, allowing National Grid to better manage electricity supply and demand as the UK transitions to renewables.
The Sundon and Indian Queens battery storage facilities, which will be built alongside a similar site in the West Midlands that began construction last year, will replicate core elements of Pivot Power’s Energy Superhub Oxford project, one of the UK’s most ambitious decarbonisation projects to date. The Oxford site will pair a cutting-edge 50 MW hybrid battery with Europe’s most powerful EV charging network, laying the groundwork for towns and cities across the UK to reduce carbon emissions and support long-term economic growth.
Net zero goals
The current energy crisis, which has resulted in record wholesale gas prices, emphasizes the need for Britain to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. Renewable energy can provide the domestic power that Britain requires, but existing energy infrastructure must be upgraded to reap the full benefits. Pivot Power’s smart power infrastructure can help manage renewable energy’s intermittency and increase the UK’s energy self-sufficiency.
Battery storage will be critical in supporting a smarter and more flexible grid in order for the UK to meet its ambitious net zero goals. According to National Grid, the UK could require more than 25 GW of battery storage by 2050, up from 1 GW today, to manage renewable intermittency and improve the electricity system’s resilience.
EDF Group’s ambition to become Europe’s leading e-mobility energy company by 2023 will be supported by Pivot Power’s portfolio of Energy Superhubs in the UK, which is a key pillar of its plan to develop an additional 10 GW of battery storage globally by 2035.
