Energy start-up company Pivot Power has revealed £1.6bn proposals for a two-gigawatt nationwide network of ‘grid-scale’ batteries and rapid-charging stations for electric vehicles.
The world-first programme will supplement the National Grid and aims to aid the growth in popularity of electric vehicles and reinforce clean-air policies.
Pivot Power, which has received £1.6bn-worth of investment from the National Grid and other parties, plans to build 45 sub-stations around the UK, where it will place 50-megawatt batteries to aid supply and demand, with the sites close to towns and major road networks so they can also power EV rapid-charging stations.
It says its 100 rapid 150kW chargers will be able to offer “mass charging at competitive rates”, making it the world’s largest chain of rapid-charging stations. The 50MW batteries will also be able to accommodate 350kW rapid chargers when they are available in the UK.
The company says the new network will combat the three biggest concerns prospective EV customers have – charger availability, the distance between charging points, and price, with affordable charging helping to lower the cost of electric car ownership.
Graeme Cooper, National Grid project director for electric vehicles, said: “We expect the use of electric vehicles to grow rapidly. This innovative solution will help accelerate adoption by providing a network of rapid-charging stations across the country, enabling cars to charge quickly, efficiently and as cost-effectively as possible.
“It will also give the system operator more choice and flexibility for managing the demands in the day-to-day running of the network, and also help mass EV charging.”
Pivot Power chief executive Matt Allen said: “We want to future-proof the UK’s energy system and accelerate the electric vehicle revolution, helping the UK to clean up its air and meet climate targets.
“Big problems require big solutions, and we are moving fast to put in place a unique network to support a clean, affordable, secure energy system and embrace the low-carbon economy. We are keen to hear from anyone who shares our vision and wants to ‘go electric’, particularly partners with large fleets such as local authorities, supermarkets and logistics companies.”
If plans go as expected, Southampton will be the site of the first rapid-charging point in the summer of 2019, with a further nine places slated to be in place by the end of next year.