Pivot Power has won planning permission to build a £25m grid-scale battery and rapid EV charging station in Norwich as part of plans to revolutionise power distribution across the UK and aid electric vehicle adoption.

45 sites across the UK have been chosen near towns and major routes for the installation of battery grid-storage

Set to go into operation in April 2020, the 50MW battery is one of 45 planned to go live at sites at electricity sub stations across the UK under a £1.6bn programme. The project will provide a 2GW battery network that will help National Grid manage supply and demand  releasing or absorbing power in response to grid balancing requirements; currently the UK has 500MW of grid-scale battery storage.

This will help accommodate the switch to electric vehicles in line with government plans, supported also by large-scale rapid charging stations that are expected to become the largest network in the world.

The site at Norwich is the third to receive planning permission following Southampton and Carlisle. Batteries are expected to be installed and working 10 sites within 18 months and across the full 45 locations within five years.

Matthew Boulton, chief operating officer of Pivot Power, said: “We want to support councils working to clean up air pollution, promote low-carbon policies and develop a sustainable economy with better services for local people. Close collaboration will ensure that we build the right infrastructure in the right place to make it easy for drivers, businesses and public services to switch to electric vehicles.”