Coventry and Sandwell named as sites for EDF/Pivot Power batteries and EV charging.

Wartsila and Pivot Power have announced a deal to develop two grid-scale battery storage facilities in Coventry and Sandwell. The projects will together provide 100MW/200MWh of battery storage.
Wärtsilä will supply the battery technology for both projects, underpinned by its GEMS Digital Energy Platform, which dynamically optimises energy systems through a broad range of applications.

Along with a site in Oxford, which is under construction, Pivot Power – part of EDF Renewables – said the two new sites would be part of a partfolio of ‘Energy Superhubs’. The company is planning for its network hubs to provide up to 2GW of battery storage, and create charging infrastructure to support the 36 million electric vehicles projected to be on the road by 2040. Parent EDF group says it wants to become Europe’s leading e-mobility energy company by 2023 and develop 10GW of battery storage globally by 2035.

Coventry and Sandwell have pledged to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and 2041 respectively. Pivot Power aims to locate its Energy Superhubs alongside National Grid substations close to major road networks and urban populations. At both sites the battery storage systems will share their connection to the high-voltage electricity transmission network with a high-volume power connection, which will deliver large amounts of power for rapid EV charging to strategic locations, including public charging hubs, bus depots and commercial fleets. In Oxford it will deliver up to 10MW of power to the UK’s largest public charging hub at a Park & Ride on the outskirts of the city, with plans to expand to bus and council depots in the near future.

The Coventry battery storage system is located to the north east of the city, close to junction 2 of the M6 and Sandwell’s is located close to junction 7 of the M6 where the M5 and A34 meet. The sites are well screened and will have minimal visibility from public viewpoints.
Construction of the battery storage systems is due to commence at Sandwell in Q4 2021 and at Coventry in Q1 2022.

Pivot Power is developing these Superhubs in partnership with Coventry City Council, Sandwell Council and West Midlands development agencies. It wants to engage with more councils to help support the rapid expansion of the hubs.

Councillor Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change at Coventry City Council, said: “This project will combine with a raft of other green industrial revolution projects being pioneered in Coventry as we lead the way in this increasingly important sector.”

Councillor Steve Melia, West Bromwich Town Lead at Sandwell Council, said: “The site is at the heart of the English motorway network. As such, there are many hotels, bus garages and service stations nearby which are ideally situated to make use of this facility.”