Pivot Power announces planning approval for two new battery storage sites in UK

Pivot Power, part of EDF Renewables, has won planning approval for two new grid-scale battery storage facilities in Sundon, Luton, and Indian Queens, Cornwall, that will help to support the transition to a decarbonised electricity system and accelerate the UK’s net zero future.

The 50 MW/100 MWh lithium-ion battery storage facility in Sundon is expected to begin construction in early 2023, with the aim of being connected to National Grid’s Sundon Substation later that year.

Once constructed, Pivot Power will also develop a private wire for electric vehicle (EV) charging to help address the national need for rapid charging hubs.

In Indian Queens, Pivot Power will share a grid connection with two other developers, including Renewable Connections, a UK-based renewable energy company, who submitted a joint planning application with Pivot Power.

Both companies have received consent for a 50 MW/100 MWh battery each for construction and connection to the National Grid in 2024. Pivot Power will also support the local community by adding a private wire once the battery is live, helping to bolster the EV charging infrastructure in Cornwall.

The two projects will form a part of 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. Pivot Power is working with National Grid to develop their innovative Energy Superhub network across the country, helping to provide National Grid with the flexibility needed to manage electricity supply and demand as the UK pivots to renewables.

Matt Allen, CEO of Pivot Power said: “Today’s energy infrastructure is not equipped to support the massive transition to renewables that we need to see in the coming decades. Grid flexibility is essential to future-proof our electricity system and help deliver secure, affordable, low carbon power. Pivot Power’s smart power infrastructure will help to manage the intermittency of renewables and improve the resilience of the UK’s electricity system. Working closely with local councils, we will help to create a smarter, more flexible grid and supercharge the path to net zero.”

Pivot Power’s portfolio of Energy Superhubs in the UK will support EDF Group’s ambition to become Europe’s leading e-mobility energy company by 2023 and forms a key pillar of its plan to develop an additional 10 GW of battery storage globally by 2035.

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