The 50MW/100MWh BESS, which began construction in October 2021, has now gone live in Sandwell, Birmingham. Image: EDF Renewables UK.

EDF Renewables UK has set live the first of its two 50MW/100MWh lithium-ion battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Sandwell, Birmingham.

According to the subsidiary, the Bustleholme BESS aims to “supercharge the West Midland’s green transport revolution” by supporting the creation of a mass-scale power infrastructure for rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging.

The second 50MW BESS is expected to go live in November 2023.

Connected to the electricity grid via National Grid’s Bustleholme substation, the BESS can help transfer power through a private-wire network to sites in the north west of Birmingham that can be used to support rapid charging, the installation of public charging hubs, bus depots, and commercial fleets.

A similar project EDF Renewables completed last year in Oxford, the Energy Superhub Oxford, uses a private wire to power an EV charging station which the company claimed was the most powerful in Europe.

“Our region was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and today the West Midlands finds itself at the forefront of the Green Industrial Revolution,” said Andy Street, mayor of the West Midlands.

“Green energy sources will play a vital role in helping us to honour our [2041] Net Zero commitment and reliable battery storage – for when the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining – is essential if we are to harness the full potential of renewable energy.

“This EDF Renewables Bustleholme announcement will upgrade battery storage capability in our region and showcase the benefits to local people and businesses that a low carbon future can deliver.”

The National Grid ESO’s Future Energy Scenarios (FES) 2023 the UK will requireas much as 30GW of electricity storage by 2050 to support the increased volume of renewable generation. This is also set to deliver a flexible energy system which the FES estimated could save as much as £40 billion by 2050.

“Battery storage is essential as we move away from fossil fuels so we are delighted to be bringing our Bustleholme facility online,” said Matthew Boulton, director of solar, storage and private wire at EDF Renewables UK.

“As more of our lives are powered by electricity – from heating to cars – our energy system is changing, and batteries are an important part of the solution, helping to balance supply and demand as we bring more renewables onto the grid. Having more of our electricity generated renewably from homegrown sources will lead to lower bills and greater energy security.

The project is part of a pipeline of BESS projects which EDF Renewables inherited from the acquisition of developer Pivot Power in 2019. The majority are 50MW systems and some, like the Energy Superhub Oxford, include a private wire to power EV charging, and are directly connected to the transmission network of National Grid, with Pivot among the first developers to do this in the UK.