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National Grid Electricity Transmission will debut a new model for connecting low-carbon technologies to the high-voltage network when it energises its first “grid park” in Bedfordshire next year.
The park will host the connections of three separate customers to the same transformer, which is being installed at a new 33kV substation on the site of the existing 400kV Sundon substation in Luton.
They include Pivot Power, a subsidiary of EDF Renewables, which will connect a 50MW/100MWh lithium-ion battery as part of the roll out of its Energy Superhub model across the UK.
As with its first Energy Superhub in Oxford, the battery will be used to supply power to electric vehicle charging stations in the area via a private wire. Pivot Power is aiming to begin construction in early 2023.
Two additional grid-scale batteries are also being lined up to connect at the park, taking their combined capacity to 150MW.
National Grid said the park will allow three smaller customers to benefit from a single investment, lowering costs, minimising the need for outages and reducing disruption to the local area.
Mark Beasley, project director at National Grid, said: “Our first grid park build is an exciting development, a proof of concept for a new way to connect low-carbon generation in an innovative and cost-efficient way in the future – all of which bring benefits to consumers locally and nationally.
“Making new connections to the transmission system is a complex process and our new grid park design is no different – we still have to manage the build and any planned outages, and ensure impact on regional networks and local communities alike is minimised.
“It’s apt that our Sundon substation should be the site of the first grid park given that our modern 400kV grid was first energised in this area.”
Mikey Clark, head of electricity connections at EDF Renewables UK, said: “To accelerate a net zero future and support more renewables we urgently need to scale-up the UK’s battery storage capacity.
“Streamlining the process for connecting to the grid is integral to achieving this, and we’re proud to be working with National Grid to pioneer innovative new approaches like the Sundon grid park.”
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