Suffolk County Council launches electric BESS

The project involving the use of a battery energy storage system was implemented by Suffolk County Council as part of its ambition to be Net Zero by 2030.

The Council commissioned Connected Energy, a company based in Newcastle upon Tyne, because the BESS it installs are specially made from second life vehicles batteries. This means the system also demonstrates how the circular economy can work in respect of electric vehicle batteries.

“If COP 26 has taught us anything it’s that we all need to work together to bring about change, and Suffolk County Council is certainly doing that here. This is the start of a three-year partnership between Connected Energy and the University of Suffolk, to share knowledge and learning for the good of all” said Matthew Lumsden, CEO of Connected Energy.

The Hold is part of an electricity network which includes photo voltaic panels (PV), EV chargers and a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Working in conjunction with the University of Suffolk’s Sustainability Institute, and other local authorities through the Suffolk Climate Change Partnership, Suffolk County Council is generating evidence-based learning on ‘what works’ across this network, including the creation and storage of its own clean energy.

This will inform future energy planning across the council and support university research and training in clean tech solutions, while helping to raise the profile of the region as a centre of excellence in sustainable energy operations. The council will generate cash savings and revenue opportunities through the BESS operation, something many other organisations will certainly want to learn from.

Cllr Andrew Reid added: “This BESS and the partnership behind it supports the Council’s climate commitment by providing sustainable and cost-effective energy, which can also be shared by our visitors to The Hold.”