Coventry at ‘forefront of innovation’ with huge new energy superhub – CoventryLive
Construction is well underway on a superhub in Coventry that will play ‘an integral role’ in supporting the UK’s transition to renewable energy. The new 50 MW / 100 MWh battery site will be capable of powering 100,000 homes with clean energy for two hours, according to an energy company.
EDF Renewables UK says the new hub will also support the decarbonisation of energy and transport across the UK. In addition, it says it will help the integration of renewables in the UK by storing energy when supply is abundant and discharging it when supply is lower.
Matthew Boulton, director of storage and private wire at EDF Renewables UK, said: “Transport and energy are the UK’s two most polluting sectors. Our Energy Superhub model helps to cut emissions from both at the same time, scaling up renewable energy and clean transport to accelerate a net zero future.
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“Building on the foundation of the first Energy Superhub in Oxford, we are focused on applying the model to meet unique regional and local challenges. Coventry has long been at the forefront of transport innovation and our smart power infrastructure will deliver the capacity they need to lead the UK’s transition to electric mobility.”
Construction work started in August when the site was still owned by Pivot Power. That company has now been acquired by EDF which deferred an announcement about the superhub until the integration had been rubber-stamped.
The site’s lithium-ion battery, delivered by global technology company Wärtsilä, will be directly connected to the UK’s high-voltage transmission network. In addition, the superhub will facilitate an electric vehicle (EV) charging network with multi-megawatts of power to strategic charging locations around the city.
The site, which is expected to be live next year, will replicate that rolled out by EDF in Oxford earlier this year and is one of up to 40 similar projects being developed across the country. EDF says the Coventry base will play an integral role in supporting the UK’s transition to renewable energy.
The Government has announced plans to decarbonise the UK power system by 2035, setting targets of 50 GW of offshore wind and 70 GW of solar capacity by the 2030s. Energy storage through grid-scale batteries is needed to provide short-term flexibility to balance the intermittency of supply from renewable energy.
Energy superhubs are being built across the UK to deliver up to 2 GW of transmission-connected battery storage to support more renewables. They will create the power infrastructure for mass-scale, rapid EV charging and broader urban decarbonisation.
This model forms a key pillar of EDF’s plan to develop an additional 10 GW of battery storage globally by 2035. Jim O’Boyle, Coventry City Council’s jobs, regeneration and climate change boss, said: “Coventry has always been a city at the forefront of innovation, from leading the way in car manufacturing to driving the green industrial revolution today.
“We’re pleased to work with EDF Renewables UK, which will help power homes with cleaner energy, decarbonise transport and improve air quality. This will complement our plans for greener travel in the city, including Very Light Rail and our plans to completely electrify Coventry’s bus fleet by 2025.”