North welcomes Europe’s largest energy store

Highview Power, the London based cryogenic energy storage specialist, is to build Europe’s largest energy storage facility. It is currently in the process of securing sites for a portfolio of cryogenic energy storage systems across the UK, with plant capacities of 50M/250MWh.

The first commercial full scale facility is to be built in the North of England on the site of a decommissioned thermal power plant. The company say the technology could provide a variety of services including energy storage, renewables grid integration, grid stabilisation services, frequency management, reserve and market arbitrage services.

How it works

The businesses technology is based on cryogenic storage of liquid air at minus 196 degrees centigrade in insulated high pressure vessels with regasification of the air when needed to drive turbines and generate electricity.

It has been piloted at a site in Slough and further developed at a demonstration site at Pilsworth, Greater Manchester, and will provide cost efficient energy storage at a cost of £110/MWh, based on a 10-hour, 200 MW/2 GWh plant.

Energy expert view

“It is encouraging to see developments taking place in the electricity storage area, particularly alternatives to battery storage. Electricity storage at scale could well prove to be the cornerstone to the UK’s development towards a very low or near zero carbon electricity generation and transmission/distribution system.

This is very important to the UK if we are to have a chance of meeting our ‘net zero’ emissions aspirations.” Alastair Fells MEI, Incorporated Eng, PG Dip Fuel Tech, BSc Hons

Read more here or please contact Andrew Davison on 0191 211 7950 for help with your energy related legal needs.