The project, which will provide power for electric vehicle charging and localised grid support, will be piloted at Portsmouth International Port. It will include a dual chemical (lead acid and lithium-ion) hybrid energy storage system at its heart and contribute to plans set out by Portsmouth City Council in what is being praised as the ‘city's greenest ever budget.’

A big problem for rapid charging of electric vehicles (EVs) is the limited power available to a lot of commercial premises. This will often be in the 30-50kW range for a medium sized shop or car showroom. The battery capacity of standard EVs range from 50kWh to 90kWh, so fast charging can overwhelm sites causing the grids to crash. GS Yuasa’s state of the art containerised solution avoids the need for expensive excavations and relabelling from the grid, reducing the project cost and environmental impact considerably.

The new GS Yuasa dual chemical energy storage system will come in the form of a weatherproof shelter that will be able to supply 100kW of power. It will use Lithium-ion technology as well as standard lead acid Yuasa ENL battery technology. These batteries are manufactured at GS Yuasa’s Ebbw Vale factory in Wales where final assembly and integration of the entire system takes place. The system’s lithium batteries come from Japan.

The system will allow electric vehicles to be fast charged during the day from electricity supplied overnight at a lower tariff. Consequently, saving businesses time and money whilst contributing to the crucial environmental needs.

Mike Sellers, Port Director at Portsmouth International Port said: "We've previously said we'll take bold action to meet our goal to be the UK's first zero emission port. This innovative project demonstrates that we want to be at the forefront of research into sustainable energy initiatives that will help us reach that target.

"GS Yuasa have a formidable track record in the battery sector, so we're delighted to sign this agreement with them. Their battery will provide the centrepiece of the project which will help us use renewable energy more efficiently across the port estate."

PESO is a two-year project co-funded by Innovate UK. There are three main areas of innovation to the pilot, the first is the construction of the dual chemical battery system, designed by GS Yuasa experts to meet specific port requirements. The second is advanced management software which will optimise onsite energy generation. The third area will be the development of smart port grid infrastructure. All three areas will significantly play a part in the port’s goal to be carbon neutral by 2030.