The £300m development at Trafford Energy Park in Carrington, Manchester by Highview Power will store surplus electricity generated from wind and solar and will be the first commercial-scale plant in the UK deploying liquid air energy storage technology.
Developed by Highview Power in the UK over the past 17 years, the technology enables renewable energy to be stored for up to several weeks.
The plant will be one of the world’s largest facilities of its kind and will have a storage capacity of 300 MWh.
In a statement, Spencer Group executive chairman, Charlie Spencer OBE said: “Highview Power is a leading player in helping the UK achieve its net zero targets and is addressing the key issue of energy storage.
“We’re delighted to be involved with this exciting and pioneering project, which promises to reshape the future of renewable energy.”
Highview Power’s technology works by converting excess energy into liquid air, which can be stored, through a process of cooling, compression and expansion.
When power is required, the liquid air is drawn from storage tanks, pumped to high pressure and reheated, with the resulting high-pressure gas used to power a turbine and generate electricity on demand.
Spencer Group’s Civils Division will begin work on site in late 2024, with the plant expected to be operational in 2026.
Bringing together knowledge and skills from its civil engineering, mechanical and electrical (M&E) and materials handling teams, Spencer Group is able to deliver power generation projects from start to finish, from planning and designing the plant from scratch, to designing and building the access infrastructure, and commissioning the site when it is built.
Highview Power recently secured backing from UK Infrastructure Bank and energy and services company Centrica, alongside a syndicate of investors including Rio Tinto, Goldman Sachs, KIRKBI and Mosaic Capital, to help fund its ambitious plans to accelerate the UK’s transition to net zero.
The Carrington development is expected to create more than 700 jobs, and it is hoped that it will be the first of many similar plants around the UK, with Highview Power already planning the next four larger scale facilities.
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