Highview Power has been awarded a £10 million grant from the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) for a 50MW cryogenic energy storage facility with a minimum storage of 250MWh.

The process cools air down to -196°C and a liquid form, making it denser. Then, when energy is needed, this liquid is exposed to the ambient temperature causing rapid re-gasification. The resulting 700-fold increase in volume is used to drive a turbine and create electricity without combustion.

The facility will be built in Manchester and will be one of Europe’s largest battery storage systems and will supply clean, reliable, and cost-efficient long-duration energy storage.

Highview Power claims a 30-40 year lifespan and in the region of 70% round trip efficiency (RTE).

Highview Power entered into a joint venture with Carlton Power, a UK independent power station developer, to build and operate the facility. The partnership plans to co-develop up to four additional Cryo Battery projects in the UK, totalling over 1 GWh.