Groundbreaking battery tech to be installed in Bedfordshire

The technology can power 100,000 homes for two hours, and will be an essential asset in the race to decarbonise.

A groundbreaking 100MWh battery is set to go live as the first stage of a new Energy Superhub being built in Sundon, Bedfordshire, replicating the first which came online in Oxford earlier this year.

The result of a new partnership between EDF Renewables (EDF-R) and Wartsila, alongside the 50Mw-100MWh lithium-ion battery storage facility – which can power up to 100,000 homes for two hours – work will also begin on a private wire network to support EV charging and transport decarbonisation. This connects the facility to the transmission network for delivery of power to strategic locations in the area, meaning multi-megawatt capacity for ultra-rapid vehicle charging.

The latest focus of an ongoing partnership between the two parties which have already realised several battery storage projects in Britain, the latest is another part of a nationwide Energy Superhub rollout by EDF-R. Once fully operational, these sites will provide up to 2GW of transmission connected battery storage with high-volume connections, tackling the UK’s leading sources of emissions – transport and energy.

‘A renewable energy future is only made possible with a smart, flexible energy grid. That is why we are working with local councils to accelerate the rollout of Energy Superhubs, helping to unleash the potential of renewable energy and enable local people to reap the benefits of net zero through better access to zero carbon transport,’ said Mathew Boulton, Director of Storage and Private Wire at EDF Renewables.

‘We know the challenge ahead of us – we need more renewable energy and energy storage to back it up. Our battery storage facility in Sundon marks a key milestone for the UK as we lay the foundation for net zero,’ he continued.

The investment in battery technology and electric vehicle charging comes as research from 2022 found that EV sales were continuing to rise in England and across the UK.

Photo: EDF Renewables