A pioneer in second-life battery energy storage systems (BESS) is developing the UK’s most advanced testing facility in a major new investment.
Connected Energy is creating the flagship facility as part of its first wholly owned and operated second-life BESS site. This dedicated hub will test and integrate batteries from multiple EV bus and truck manufacturers, demonstrating the clear business case for repurposing them in grid-scale, second-life BESS.
Matthew Lumsden, CEO of Connected Energy, said, “This development marks the next step in Connected Energy’s growth. Having successfully shown how second-life BESS can work on a commercial scale, we are now moving to owning and operating grid-scale storage sites, with our first site also functioning as an advanced test facility.”
The new site is at Scottow Enterprise Park in Norfolk, close to the company’s technical centre. Connected Energy has secured planning permission for the development from North Norfolk District Council and is moving forward with construction. The site is expected to be operational by mid-2026. The £2 million project is supported by the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) as part of a project to enhance EV battery reuse and recycling.
Along with the test facility, Scottow will house Connected Energy’s first 5MWh BESS. By trading energy and providing grid services, the site will provide hard evidence on the value-add potential of repurposing end-of-life EV batteries.
Once electric vehicles (EVs) reach end of life, the batteries can be repurposed in energy storage systems for applications such as supporting renewable energy generation or behind-the-meter. This extends the batteries’ working life and delivers an additional revenue stream, making EV batteries more sustainable and more cost effective. In this way, second life EV batteries can play a crucial role in addressing growing global energy demands.
Founded in 2010, Connected Energy has extensive expertise in delivering second life battery energy storage systems, with commercial installations across the UK and Europe. The company has already delivered proven commercial second-life storage for major partners such as Umicore, Volvo and public sector bodies. Building on this success, Connected Energy is now scaling its business model to include the development, ownership and operation of grid-scale energy storage assets.
“Insights from this multi-battery 5MWh project will shape future, larger deployments,” added Matthew. “Our goal is to optimise what can be achieved with second life batteries. We will gather extensive data to support a scalable commercial model for large-scale sites as more second-life batteries become available.”
