EDF buys battery and EV charging startup Pivot Power

EDF has announced the acquisition of British startup Pivot Power, which has been absorbed into the French energy giant’s renewable generation arm.

The company has previously revealed plans to build spend £1.6 billion building a nationwide network of rapid electric vehicle (EV) chargers supported by a 2GW fleet of batteries.

Power Pivot has an “extensive portfolio” of projects at more than 40 locations across the UK. The batteries installed at each site will have maximum power output of 50MW and will be connected directly to the transmission network.

The firm also plans to install private wire infrastructure at each location to not only support EV charging stations, but also provide power to large shopping centres, logistics facilities, bus depots and park and rides.

The first two storage systems at Kemsley in Kent and Cowley in Oxfordshire have land, planning and connection agreements in place and are expected to be commissioned next year.

The latter will form part of Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks’ Local Energy Oxfordshire innovation project, which was awarded £13.8 million from the government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund in April.

“Battery storage and electric vehicles are two key technologies which will help lower carbon emissions, alongside generation from renewables and nuclear,” said EDF Energy chief executive Simone Rossi.

“The acquisition of Pivot Power shows EDF is investing in a wide range of projects to deliver the huge shift to low carbon energy the UK will need to reach net zero by 2050.”

Matt Allen, co-founder and chief executive of Pivot Power, said: “Pivot Power’s purpose from the start has always been to accelerate the UK’s transition to a cost-effective, reliable, low-carbon energy system and in parallel fast-track the rapid adoption of clean transport.

“EDF Renewables shares our vision and of course brings the expertise, resources and platform to make this a reality.”