EDF UK to develop three new grid-scale battery sites

Planning approval has been granted to EDF Renewables UK for three grid-scale lithium-ion battery sites strategically located in Kent, Norwich and Essex.

Two of the sites are confirmed to have co-located renewables with a third awaiting approval. EDF UK cites the importance of such facilities to stabilise the grid while bringing more renewable energy online.

Stated Matthew Boulton, director of solar, storage and private wire at EDF Renewables UK: “The approval of our Sellindge, Norwich and Braintree battery storage facilities is an active proofpoint for the growing momentum behind crucial flexibility technologies to manage the intermittency of renewables across the UK.

“We are taking an important step towards creating a smarter and more resilient electricity system that will enable the massive transition to renewables that we need as we look to tackle the climate crisis.”

 EDF UK’s new Li-Ion battery facilities

The 50MW/100 MWh facility near Sellindge, Kent, is the latest project to receive planning approval, with construction expected to begin in early 2024, aiming to be operational by early 2025.

In Swainsthorpe, Norwich, planning consent has been obtained for a 114MW/228MWh facility with construction expected to commence in early or late 2024. The facility also includes plans for biodiversity enhancement through tree planting, the creation of new hedgerows and improvements to the existing on-site pond.

The third, a 57MW/114MWh facility in Braintree, Essex, is slated for construction in early 2024, with a connection to the National Grid’s Braintree substation anticipated by October of the same year. EDF Renewables UK also plans to install a private wire for electric vehicle (EV) charging, a move aimed at futureproofing the system for rapid charging hubs in the region.

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Additionally, the Braintree and Norwich battery sites will be co-located with nearby solar projects, while a decision on co-location in Sellindge is expected later this year.

If approved, states the company, all three projects will leverage the coupling of renewable sources with battery storage systems to help stabilise the UK energy grid and maximise the efficiency of the company’s renewable generation projects.

Batteries for net zero

EDF UK’s upcoming battery facilities underscore the importance of battery technology in supporting the UK’s energy security and the transition to renewable energy sources. Energy storage solutions are essential for maximizing the benefits of intermittent clean energy, ensuring grid resilience, stability, and reliability.

According to EDF UK’s press release on the battery approvals, as of Q2 2023, Great Britain’s total battery energy storage capacity reached 2.9GW, projected to reach 4GW by year-end.

The utility major states the importance of such projects particularly in the UK, which has ambitions to decarbonise the power system by 2035.

By 2035, explains the company, electricity demand will “increase by 50%, and electric vehicles [will need] to see a 21-fold increase on EVs on the road to meet net zero emissions by 2050” necessitating the uptake of more battery energy storage technology.

EDF UK currently operates two 50MW battery storage facilities in Kemsley and Oxford, with two additional sites in the West Midlands under construction.

The company also has a plan to deliver up to 2GW of transmission-connected battery storage and high-volume power connections via its nationwide Energy Superhubs initiative, which will integrate transmission-connected batteries with EV charging infrastructure.