EDF Renewables and Wärtsilä announce plans for ‘energy superhub’ battery system

The project – due to begin construction in spring 2023 – will also support EV charging and the electrification of public transport. Image: Wärtsilä.

Technology group Wärtsilä Energy has signed an additional contract with EDF Renewables UK for a 50MW/100MWh lithium-ion energy storage facility in Sundon, Bedfordshire.

Matthew Boulton, director of storage and private wire at EDF Renewables called the storage facility in Sundon “a key milestone for the UK as we lay the foundation for net zero.”

The project – due to begin construction in spring 2023 – will increase intermittency management and renewable energy integration, as well as strengthening the resilience of the electric system, and balancing supply and demand by charging and discharging automatically.

The Sundon facility will also support electric vehicle (EV) charging and the electrification of public transport.

The contract includes Wärtsilä’s GridSoly Quantum system and GEMS Digital Energy Platform. The GEMS technology delivers data and insights for trading parties and performance for comprehensive asset management.

Wärtsilä has also provided the power conversion system and commissioning for the facility.

The technology company has said that the energy storage technology at the site will “enable balancing services for the UK grid, including electricity market trading and frequency response, with the capability to support local consumers such as EV charging stations during grid outages.”

“This contract strengthens Wärtsilä and EDF Renewables’ partnership, and demonstrates our joint commitment to supporting the UK’s decarbonisation efforts,” said energy business director, Europe at Wärtsilä, Jens Norrgård.

“Net zero power systems can unlock significant reductions in emissions and cost, and the UK is pioneering this transition with world-leading renewable energy targets. Wärtsilä’s energy storage technology is an important part of the mosaic of flexible capacity needed to balance renewable energy. Alongside our other projects, Sundon is delivering on our global ambition to create clean power systems.”

EDF Renewables UK and Wärtsilä previously partnered on a 50MW transmission-connected battery in Oxford, which went live in June last year and the 50MW/50MWh battery in Kemsley, which went live in June and October last year respectively. 

Wärtsilä’s portfolio of installed energy storage base in the UK is now reported to exceed 424MWh. The company has also worked on a number of UK energy storage projects including an islanded-grid project to balance renewables in Lerwick, Shetland Islands and a SSE’s first 50MW/100MWh site located in Salisbury.