Coventry becomes the second UK city to host an Energy Superhub as EDF Renewables UK starts work on a new 50 MW / 100 MWh battery

EDF Renewables UK has started construction of a new 50 MW / 100 MWh battery site at Energy Superhub Coventry, which will support the decarbonisation of both energy and transport across the UK.

The 50 MW/100 MWh battery – capable of powering 100,000 homes with clean energy for two hours[1] – will help to support the integration of renewables in the UK by storing energy when supply is abundant and discharging it when supply is lower. The lithium-ion battery, delivered by global technology company Wärtsilä, will be directly connected to the UK’s high-voltage transmission network. It will be controlled via Wärtsilä’s GEMS Digital Energy Platform.

In addition to the battery, Energy Superhub Coventry will be bringing an EV charging network with multi-megawatts of power to strategic charging locations around the city.  

Construction at the battery site commenced in August, with it expected to be live next year. Energy Superhub Coventry will replicate the core model that was rolled out by EDF Renewables UK in Oxford earlier this year and is one of up to 40 similar projects it is developing across the country.

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.

“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.”

Alongside EDF Renewables UK’s other grid-scale batteries, the Coventry site 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. 

EDF Renewables UK is developing Energy Superhubs across the UK to deliver up to 2 GW of transmission-connected battery storage to support more renewables and create the power infrastructure for mass-scale, rapid EV charging and broader urban decarbonisation. This innovative model supports EDF Group’s ambition to become Europe’s leading e-mobility energy company by 2023 and forms a key pillar of its plan to develop an additional 10 GW of battery storage globally by 2035.

Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change at Coventry City Council, 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.”