UK-based bus operator First Bus, which is a subsidiary of transport firm FirstGroup, has announced that its largest battery energy storage system (BESS) will begin operating next month at a bus depot in Hampshire.
The firm said its facility will be opened at the Hoeford bus depot, with work starting on a larger unit in Aberdeen by the end of the year. It said that the new facilities will use batteries to store surplus electricity so it can be distributed back into the country’s power network at peak times and help maintain power supplies.
Stored electricity will also be used to power some of the firm’s 1,200 electric buses in its fleet across the UK.
First Bus said it has plans to provide space for almost three bus batteries to be able to store 1MW of power, which is enough to supply the equivalent of 125 homes for one day. End-of-life batteries from buses will be used for energy storage, including at the Hoeford bus depot.
This comes as FirstGroup Energy, a subsidiary of FirstGroup, has invested in Palmer Energy Technology (PETL), which designs and manufactures battery energy storage systems.
Dr Andy Palmer, founder, PETL, said: “With buses at the forefront of the transition to electric vehicles and net-zero transportation, I’m delighted to welcome investment from FirstGroup Energy Ltd, as well as Barclays and Oxford University, to advance development of next generation control systems. This will allow us to accelerate our business and give the UK a leading position in battery energy storage system technology.”
Faizan Muhammad, investment director – energy, First Group, said: “This investment continues our strategy of backing new and innovative companies aimed at supporting our long-term public commitment of achieving a zero-emission commercial bus fleet by 2035. We’re really excited about this new chapter in our decarbonisation journey and look forward to working closely with PETL to continue developing this technology.”
Image: The BESS at Hoeford Bus Depot. Credit: FirstBus.
