Pivot Power’s Energy Superhub rollout – combining battery energy storage and electric vehicle (EV) charging – is moving ahead with plans in place for two sites in the West Midlands.
The company is continuing to partner Wärtsilä, with the two to develop 100MW/200MWh of battery storage split across two sites as part of the first stage of Superhub development.
At both sites – located in Coventry and Sandwell – the battery energy storage systems will share their connection to the high voltage electricity transmission network with a high volume power connection, delivering large amounts of power for rapid EV charging to strategic locations in the local area such as public charging hubs, bus depots and commercial fleets.
These two Superhubs are being developed in partnership with Coventry City Council, Sandwell Council and West Midlands development agencies.
Wärtsilä is to supply the cutting-edge battery technology for both West Midlands projects. This is to be underpinned by its GEMS Digital Energy Platform, which dynamically optimises energy systems through a range of applications, providing feedback to stakeholders across asset owner, operation and trading value chains.
Construction of the battery energy storage systems is due to commence at Sandwell in Q4 2021 and at Coventry in Q1 2022.
The partnership between Wärtsilä and Pivot builds on the companies’ first two projects together in Oxford and Kent.
The 50MW Oxford battery is part of the Energy Superhub Oxford, which is the first Superhub to be developed. With the development nearing completion, more detail on the EV charger element was released in May. Fastned will initially install ten 300kW chargers, while Gamma Energy Ltd will deploy 16 7-22kW charging points for the Superhub through Wenea. There will also be be a further 12 250kW Tesla Superchargers available for Tesla owners.
It is backed by funding from UK Research and Innovation and integrates rapid EV charging, battery energy storage, low carbon heating and smart energy management technologies. It is to provide a blueprint for towns and cities across the UK to cut carbon and improve air quality
The Superhubs are designed to help Pivot deliver up to 2GW of transmission-connected battery storage and high-volume power connections to support more renewables and create the power infrastructure for mass-scale, rapid EV charging.
Matt Allen, CEO of Pivot Power, said: “We are working hand in hand with local authorities to help them meet their climate and clean air pledges, so people can live and work in cleaner, more sustainable cities.”