Pivot Power is developing a world-first national network of grid-scale batteries and high-volume power connections to provide essential capacity for rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging.
The first two projects at Cowley in Oxford and Kemsley in Kent are expected to be fully operational before the end of this year.
Wärtsilä will support the projects under 10-year service agreements with flexible performance guarantees. The order was booked with Wärtsilä in December 2019.
The two 50 MW lithium-ion batteries will be the first projects completed as part of Pivot Power’s programme to develop, own and operate up to 2 GW of grid-scale energy storage and high volume power connections, which are directly connected to the UK high-voltage transmission system.
The projects will provide flexible capacity and reliability to support increased renewable energy generation and EV charging infrastructure. The UK market for EVs is expected to expand significantly in 2020 in what has been described as “the year of the electric car” by industry analysts.
This is the largest energy storage deal in Europe for Wärtsilä, which has set its sights on the UK as a key new market.
Adrien Lebrun, Pivot Power’s engineering director said: “At Pivot Power we are committed to enabling a clean electric future and accelerating the expansion of electric vehicles across the UK, and as part of EDF Renewables we are making this vision a reality.
“These Wärtsilä energy storage systems allow us to harness cutting-edge technology to future-proof our investments in a changing energy market, supporting our long-term goal to reduce the UK’s carbon footprint and bring us closer to net zero.”
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