The super cell will be connected to the grid in late-2026.
Completed by Invinity Energy Systems, the 20.7MWh Copwood VFB Energy Hub in East Sussex is the largest vanadium flow battery installation in Europe.
Paired with a 3MW solar array, the facility will mean it is possible to store renewable power at scale, which can then be used locally when needed during peak demand periods and when real-time energy generation is low. For example, overnight.
This is the first project of its size in Britain, has been made possible through Labour’s National Wealth Fund, and represents a new generation of storage infrastructure which is vital if the transition to renewable power is to continue. It superseded conventional battery storage technology, which can only function in short bursts, by offering the capacity to save the equivalent energy needed to power 3,000 homes per day, which can then be released at a later time.
Safety is also a priority in the design. According to Invinity, Copwood has no fire risk, is designed for heavy-duty energy cycling and uses a water-based electrolyte. It is hoped this will overcome community concerns that have often surrounded proposals for battery sites, with many plans being met with controversy due to the underlying potential for blazes to break out within facilities.
The development will have a significant impact on pricing, too. Currently, renewable energy distribution is reliant on expensive peaking plants, but due to the way in which the Invinity site functions, this is no longer the case. As a result, the technology itself has already been selected for use in other project bids, meaning if the Copwood rollout is successful it could support a major expansion of British industrial and manufacturing sites without jeopardising net zero and emissions targets.
‘Invinity’s progress at the Copwood VFB Energy Hub demonstrates how targeted public investment can accelerate the manufacturing of new technology, support the transition to clean power, boost energy security and create skilled jobs in the UK,’ said Stuart Nivison, Head of Portfolio Management at the National Wealth Fund.
‘The Copwood VFB Energy Hub also received grant funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) as part of the government-backed Longer Duration Energy Storage (LoDES) demonstration programme, supporting the development of next-generation UK energy infrastructure,’ he added.
Image: Invinity
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