A £300m energy storage plant that could create hundreds of jobs is being built in Carrington – and its backers say shows Greater Manchester is leading the way in helping the UK go green.
Highview Power has been backed by energy giant Centrica and the UK Infrastructure Bank to build the first commercial-scale liquid air energy storage (LAES) plant in the UK, at Carrington.
The company says building work will start immediately and the plant, which got initial planning consent in 2021, should be operational by early 2026. Highview says the project will support 700 jobs in construction and the supply chain while it’s being built.
The plant will store power generated by wind turbines – and then release it back into the grid when needed. It means excess electricity generated when it’s windy won’t go to waste, while stored energy can be used when turbines aren’t spinning.
The £300m funding package includes investment from some of the biggest names in business, including mining and metals giant Rio Tinto and investment giant Goldman Sachs.
Greater Manchester Metro Mayor Andy Burnham said: “My vision is for Greater Manchester to be a leader in the green transition – and Highview Power’s decision to build one of the world’s largest long duration energy storage facilities at Carrington is a huge boost for the region.
“This new plant will deliver renewable energy to homes and business across our region and bring world-leading technology, jobs, skills and investment to Greater Manchester. I’m delighted to welcome Highview Power.”
Highview Power is planning to build four more storage sites across the UK.
Richard Butland, co-Founder & CEO of Highview Power said: “There is no energy transition without storage. The UK’s investment in world-leading offshore wind and renewables requires a national long duration energy storage programme to capture excess wind and support the grid’s transformation.
“UKIB and Centrica and our partners have today backed our ambitious plan to bring renewable energy storage into the UK economy at scale, liberating the potential of what is both the greenest and by far the cheapest energy source for the UK economy and provide energy security. Our first project in Carrington will be the foundation for our full scale roll-out in the UK and expansion with partners to share this British technology internationally.”
How the energy storage works – and why it matters
Highview’s energy storage plant will use energy from renewable energy sources to clean, dry, chill and liquefy air. That air is then stored in insulated tanks.
When power is needed, the air is pumped to high pressure, heated and expanded. The resulting high pressure gas drives a turbine that generates energy and sends it out of the plant again. No fuel is burned during the process.
Highview says its tech can store energy for longer than current batteries can. It says that by creating a network of storage plants across the UK, starting in Carrington, it can help provide a stable supply of green energy to the National Grid.
Chris O’Shea, group chief executive at Centrica said: “The energy transition is an opportunity that could transform lives across the UK. But with a changing energy mix, and more intermittency from renewables, we have to explore new, innovative ways to store energy so our customers have electricity available when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine. Low carbon storage is an essential part of the solution when looking at how we manage peaks in demand.
“That’s why I’m delighted that Centrica is investing in Highview Power. Not only are we bringing capital to the table to support rollout and expansion, but we’ll be also sharing our expertise on the energy transition and power storage. Through partnerships like this we can manage the challenges net zero might present while providing cleaner, greener power to customers.”
Julian Leslie, director & chief engineer at National Grid, said: “Integrating long duration energy storage into the grid is going to be vital to delivering the UK’s long term energy strategy.”
Nigel Steward, chief scientist at Rio Tinto said: “We believe long duration energy storage can play a critical role in firming renewable energy sources. The investment from us and other partners marks a significant step in helping to build a greener, more resilient and more stable energy infrastructure for generations to come in the UK and beyond”.
Carrington is also set to be home to another green energy hub, with plans approved for a hydrogen hub aimed at producing green fuel for use in industry and transport.