Oxford University spinout Brill Power acquired by Palmer Energy Technology Limited

Palmer Energy Technology Limited (PETL), a UK maker of Battery Energy Storage Systems founded by former Aston Martin CEO and Nissan COO Dr Andy Palmer CMG and Wei Shao, has announced the acquisition of Brill Power.

Brill Power is an Oxford University spin out known for cell level control and active balancing technology in battery management systems. PETL will embed Brill Power electronics across its systems with immediate effect. Established in 2016 as a spinout from the Engineering Science Department, the company’s first product for the stationary storage market launched in 2021.

Professor David Howey, Head of Oxford’s Battery Intelligence Lab and the academic co-founder of Brill Power, says, “Seeing Brill Power transition from our Oxford research into a well-established company, and now become part of Palmer Energy Technology, is deeply rewarding. The intelligent battery management system we developed uses patented, cell level control and active balancing to extract every joule from each cell, extending battery pack life by up to 60% and improving energy yield significantly. Embedding this breakthrough into PETL’s UK designed BESS platforms means our innovations will now power smarter, safer, and more sustainable energy storage systems at scale”.

The deal brings together PETL’s automotive grade battery storage systems and Brill Power’s sophisticated control platform that improves battery safety and extends service life by drawing the optimum current from each cell based on its state of health. Brill Power’s control software is engineered and validated in the UK, with all operational data stored on UK-based servers to support security and compliance.

FirstGroup plc, a leading UK public transport operator, and also a customer of PETL, joins Barclays Climate Ventures and the University of Oxford as a strategic investor in PETL. Barclays Climate Ventures were an investor in Brill Power and join this new series of investment. FirstGroup Energy Limited, the dedicated energy investment arm of FirstGroup plc, has acted as the co-lead investor in the Series A round of ~£5m.