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, today 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.
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 was an investor in Brill Power and joined this new series of investments. 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. Faizan Muhammad, Investment Director at FirstGroup plc, will be representing FirstGroup Energy Limited on the PETL board.
The Brill Power brand will continue for module sales to third parties. Long-term, PETL plans to expand UK assembly and manufacturing to improve quality control and to shorten supply lines.
Andy Palmer, CEO and co‑founder of PETL, said, “PETL’s acquisition of Brill Power enables us to embed the Brill software in all of our systems, instantly giving PETL a leading position in the space to serve customers such as FirstGroup.
“With buses at the forefront of the transition to electric vehicles and net zero transportation, I’m delighted to welcome investment from FirstGroup, 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 BESS technology.”
Faizan Muhammad, Investment Director at FirstGroup plc, 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 fleet by 2035. PETL, along with its acquisition of Brill Power, will unlock innovative energy procurement solutions whilst providing second-life use cases when batteries are taken off electric buses.”
Adam Workman, Head of Investments and New Ventures at Oxford University Innovation, said, “It is great to see the coming together of PETL and Brill Power to accelerate their novel energy storage technologies. Alongside FirstGroup, we hope that the combined business will accelerate the commercialization of its energy platforms.”
